


Despair Undone

by Jonyayer



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Dangan Ronpa Spoilers, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Human Nanami Chiaki, Loss of Identity, M/M, Mitarai Ryota Grows A Spine, Nanami Chiaki Lives, POV Alternating, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Recovery, Slow Burn, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-08
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:40:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 23
Words: 121,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23066368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jonyayer/pseuds/Jonyayer
Summary: Ryota Mitarai’s cowardice leads to the Tragedy. Juzo Sakakura allows Junko to manipulate him. Chiaki Nanami runs blindly into a death trap. A chance meeting could change the course of their lives.An AU where Ryota and Juzo end up meeting, and pushing themselves into doing the right thing. But to save others comes at a cost, and has a long path of consequences.
Relationships: Hinata Hajime/Nanami Chiaki, Kamukura Izuru/Nanami Chiaki, Kuwata Leon & Maizono Sayaka, Munakata Kyosuke/Sakakura Juzo
Comments: 214
Kudos: 164





	1. Pilot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always felt that Juzo, Ryota and Kyosuke could’ve really used some more development throughout DR3, so I’ve decided to write some for them (and also fix Chiaki’s death). I don’t really know how long this’ll be but I’m hoping I can keep a schedule for releases.

**Ryota Mitarai**

_ Why did I leave them? _

_ Why didn’t I tell Yukizome-Sensei who she was up against? _

_ Why am I such a coward? _

Ryota was running across the campus of Hope's Peak Academy, the school he was too much of a coward to attend. He knew he couldn’t do anything to stop her but still, why was he being a coward.

_ I need to find someone, tell someone. _ Those thoughts were quickly washed away and replaced by pessimism.  _ What if I get them hurt, or killed, or worse. _ His mind flicked to Tsumiki-san. The technique he created to instill hope into those who watched his anime had been twisted for Enoshima Junko’s despair and had already infected the Nurse. But still, the most terrifying part was that man, he heard Enoshima refer to him as Izuru Kamukura, was that his name? It couldn’t be, wasn’t that the founder’s name?

Lost in thought, Ryota slipped face first into the concrete path he was running across. The rain battered down against his back. He tore his face up, touching his fingers to the warm blood dripping from his nose. When he looked forward, he saw a group of reserve course students who had snuck onto the campus. They quickly noticed The Animator and they charged at him with fury. He tried to get up and run but he froze. The students were getting closer and all that he could do was stare. Rain pelted down into his face as the students reached him.

One student, seemingly their leader, stepped forward and grabbed him by his neck. “Talent isn’t going to save you now”. Ryota felt a tear roll down his cheek. The student holding him let out a laugh, and with that, punched him in the gut. Ryota started to choke so when the student released him he tried to breathe. A student kicked him in his head before he could breathe out, Ryota hit the ground, face in a puddle of water.

When he tried to lift his head to breathe, the leader took his foot to the back of The Animator's head leaving him with a mouthful of water. The students formed a circle around him and started kicking.  _ Is this really how I die?  _ he thought _. Alone, beaten and forgotten? Is my teacher in danger because of me? Is my entire class in danger because of me? The entire world in danger because of me? Because of my anime?  _

The lack of oxygen started getting to him, taking in desperate breaths of water. As he began to lose his senses, he felt the pressure on the back of his head lifted and the kicking quickly stopped. He slowly lifted his head, coughing up water. Taking in a deep breath, he saw a figure standing over him.

He recognized the figure as Juzo Sakakura, the Imposter had warned Ryota to stay away from Sakakura as he was the head of security around Hope’s Peak and if The Boxer had ever seen The Animator, it could mean expulsion for them both. Either way, Ryota was in a heap right in front of him.

“Get to class, kid, it’s dangerous out here.” Ryota looked around, and saw the reserve course students unconscious around him. The Boxer’s hands were bloody, was that from fighting the students? Ryota tried to get up but the pain was too much. The boxer uttered a curse before slinging the animator over his shoulder. “Why were you even out here?”  _ Why was he out here? _

Almost as if the beating knocked some courage into him, Ryota spurted out “Yukizome-sensei.” The Boxer froze. “Yukizome-sensei is in danger… Junko Enoshima has her” Ryota could feel Sakakura’s grip tighten at the name. Did he know her?

“Enoshima? Are you sure?” The Boxer asked, setting Ryota down. Ryota could already feel the courage wearing off, the most he could muster was a curt nod. “Dammit, and you’re sure Yukizome is in danger?” Again, all Ryota could do was nod. “Where?” Ryota tried to talk but couldn’t find his voice, all he could do was raise his finger in the direction of the founder’s statue. The Boxer grit his teeth, before nodding, and turned away from him gripping a phone.

**Juzo Sakakura**

Dialing Munakata’s number, Juzo knew Enoshima would find a way to let the world know his feelings but still, he had to save Yukizome. He couldn’t let what happened to the student council happen to her. The kid he just saved was almost beaten to death by Enoshima’s reserve course students.  _ Were they just regular talentless reserve course students? It was hard to tell the difference _ . Munakata soon picked up.

Munakata’s cold but assertive voice came through the speaker. “Sakakura, I told you to talk to me in person about your investigation. This phone line is not safe, I cannot be sure who is listening in.”

“There isn’t time, Enoshima has Yukizome. Meet me at the founder’s statue as soon as you can.” He spurted out. This was a matter of life and death, there was no time for subtlety.

“Yukizome? I’m on my way.” Juzo knew that if Munakata thought The Housekeeper was in danger, he wouldn’t waste a second. He knew about The School President’s feelings for her, so all The Boxer could do was wait. 

Juzo turned his attention back to the task at hand. He looked towards the kid he saved. “Who are you, kid?”

“Oh, uh, I-I’m Ryota Mitarai, the, uh, Ultimate Animator. I’m in Class 77-B.” He clutched a napkin to his nose.

“Alright, Mitarai. Come with me, this is all hands on deck.” The Animator was petrified, it looked like he tried to form words but all that came out was air. All he could do was shake his head repeatedly. “You said the founder’s statue, right? You seem to know a lot about this, tell me everything."

With that, The Boxer lifted him over his shoulder and started towards the statue. “W-what do you think I can do, I’m just an Animator!” Juzo tightened his grip around the student’s torso. “Ah, okay I think Enoshima is going to brainwash my class, s-she stole my technology… And implanted it into the video of the student council…” He caught himself on his breath. Juzo wondered about what he meant by ‘his technology’ before he continued. “She already brainwashed Tsumiki-san and she has her sister, Ikusaba Mukuro on her side-” 

He stopped abruptly, and started shaking. Juzo looked at him sternly.

“Sh-she also has Izuru K-Kamukura. I was down there when Nagito Komaeda and… And Chiaki Nanami came to find her. Komaeda-kun pulled a gun on her. Kamukura came out and Komaeda turned the gun on him and-” He paused.

“And Kamukura made the gun jam without even touching it. Then he grabbed it and shot Komaeda-kun” Juzo had heard of Ultimate Lucky students but, none were lucky enough to jam a gun without touching it. “After that I ran and came out at the founder’s statue. I saw Yukizome-sensei and told her about Komaeda-kun and Nanami-san.”

By the time he finished, they were at the statue where they waited for Munakata. A few minutes later, he arrived. “Sakakura-san, who is this, why are we meeting here?” Juzo briefly retold The Animator’s story. By the time he finished, Munakata stated. “I saw Nanami leading the rest of her class towards the statue before you called, they must have gone in after Yukizome.” Mitarai let out a horrified gasp when he heard Munakata. 

Munakata placed his hand on Mitarai’s shoulder to comfort him before telling him to open the passage. Mitarai placed his hand on the statue and stepped onto a certain brick, opening a staircase descending into the ground. Before he could think, Juzo had started to descend the staircase.

**Ryota Mitarai**

_ Why am I doing this?  _ The thought wouldn’t leave Ryota’s head, he couldn’t afford to be a coward right now.  _ I need to save Yukizome-sensei. I need to save my class. I need to stop Enoshima.  _ It wasn’t like he could run, Sakakura was in front of him and Munakata was behind him. The School President’s cold voice caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up. “How long did you say this staircase was?”

“Oh, we… We should be almost at the bottom.” He tried to sound happy but Ryota was silently dreading reaching their destination. _What if Junko already has everyone under her control?_ It could be an ambush. They reached a turn in the stairs, to Ryota, it looked the same as the others but Munakata told them to stop.

“Look at the ground, there are scuff marks here.” The Animator looked down and saw tracks in mud, it did look like someone was pushed backwards. Munakata went up to the wall where the tracks ended and pushed it. To Ryota’s surprise, the wall moved. “Someone was pushed through here.” Munakata’s cool analytical personality wasn’t just for show. Sakakura piped up.

“You said you saw Nanami leaving with her class right?” Munakata nodded, Sakakura continued. “Was Tsumiki with them?” Munakata paused for a second before nodding a second time. A chill ran up Ryota’s spine.  _ Did Tsumiki-san betray them? If that was the case, then… Did he betray them? _

Munakata announced that it was likely the rest of the class had continued down the staircase before someone was shoved by Tsumiki-san. “Who was pushed?” Ryota found himself asking before thinking it over. Munakata’s sharp voice cut through his words.

“It appears to be the person leading the group, all signs point to Nanami.” As those words left Munakata’s mouth, Ryota felt a hole open up in his stomach.  _ This is your fault. Why did you leave them? You ran. You ran like the coward you are. Your anime brainwashed Tsumiki-san and now everyone is in danger because of you. You are just an animator. Just run, what else could you do? _

“W-We need to save them!” Ryota once again spoke without thinking. He turned towards the staircase and started down. He could hear the other two following him. They reached the bottom of the stairs, keeping an eye out for anything. Together, the three headed down the hallway until they reached the room Enoshima had kept him in. Munakata opened the door without hesitation. On the computer where he’d done all his work, he saw the most horrifying thing he could’ve imagined.

Nanami-san was running through a seemingly endless maze. Monitors every two feet with Enoshima Junko’s face laughing at and berating Nanami-san. One thing she said had caught his attention. “With your death, all your friends will fall into despair.” A saw came up from the ground, Nanami-san barely avoided it when another came up tearing through her left arm.

The scream came first, it was the most horrible, blood curdling and painful thing he’d ever heard. Then came the blood, it took a second to register just how much had come out. Nanami fell to the ground clutching her arm. With tears rolling down his face Ryota looked away, he looked to Sakakura and Munakata. They were frozen, their eyes glued to the screen. With his keen eye, he realized that Enoshima was brainwashing them through the feed, that means that she’s probably brainwashing the entire class.

Ryota had built up a tolerance to it’s effects after working on it for his anime so he hadn’t noticed but she was using the most powerful kind he’d designed. Ryota quickly clenched his fist and stormed forward, punching the screen. It shattered and the video stopped playing. It took a second to realize his fist was bleeding but he quickly looked to the other two. After a second, they snapped out of it. “W-We… We need to do something” Ryota shouted with fear.

He was soon running down the hall with the other two following behind him. “Why can’t she just hypnotize them all, why does she need to kill Nanami?” He heard Sakakura ask with desperation.

“The effect d-doesn’t work without proper visuals to go with it. If I wanted to instill hope into someone, I’d need hopeful visuals. If I wanted sadness then I’d show sad visuals. If Enoshima wants despair, then…” Ryota trailed off, trying not to picture what he had seen again. The blood and agony, he pushed it to the back of his mind.

After what seemed like forever, they reached a bright red door at the end of the hall. The sound of commotion came from the other side. Ryota told the other two to look down as he opened the door. The video was playing on screens throughout the entire room, Nanami-san still running, clutching her arm. It was circular with sixteen podiums pointed to the center, opposite the red door, there was a throne with a demented stuffed bear in it. In the center, he saw everyone in there entranced by the video, by his technique, the technique designed for hope turned to despair. He couldn’t let the same happen to his friends.

There was a door to the side of the room. Ryota guided them along the wall, making sure they didn’t see the screens. When the trio reached the door they found it to be another endless hallway, quickly pulling them out. When Ryota closed the door, Munakata spoke up. “Okay, Mitarai, start getting the others out. Sakakura, we’re going to look for Nanami.” Ryota nodded and ran into the first room. He grabbed the first person he reached.

**Kyosuke Munakata**

As Mitarai ran to the room, Kyosuke and Sakakura ran through another door, it led to another circular room, with unlit monitors. Through a door opposite, they came to another hallway. The pattern continued to alternate for a countless amount of time. Until the screens flickered on. He quickly shut his eyes to avoid a trap.

Enoshima’s face appeared on the screen laughing boisterously. She was wearing a crown and started talking with an obvious accent. “How long did you think you could sneak around without me noticing?” She paused, as if waiting for an answer.

After a few seconds, Sakakura replied. “It seems to have taken you quite a while, honestly.” As he said that, they kicked through another door into another identical room, the monitors still showing Enoshima’s face, she took off the crown. Sakakura continued. “I was wondering when you’d find us.”

Enoshima widened her eyes and took her hands up to her chin. “Is that youuu, Sakakura-chan, and here I wasss, thinking you didn’t want your secret ouuut.”  _ Secret?  _ Kyosuke pushed the thought to the back of his mind, it was probably just her trying to slow them down.

“Where is that sister of yours?” Munakata shouted out. He had been on alert for when she would show up. But, she had been suspiciously absent.

The Despair held up her hand to cover half her face. “She might be on her way to you right now, or she might not, you never know…” Enoshima placed her hands on her hips and yelled out “…Except fucking me, I know where that useless oaf is right fucking now!”

Sakakura whispered “Munakata-san, it’s best just to ignore her. Don’t believe anything she says.” Enoshima seemingly had mushrooms grow out of her head and started muttering. Ten more rooms had passed before Enoshima snapped out of her mood.

When Kyosuke got to the door of another room, Ikusaba had finally made her appearance. Jumping out, and attacking Sakakura, the Ultimate Boxer held off the Soldier long enough for Kyosuke to pull Izayoi Sonosuke’s blade out. He had The Blacksmith craft the sword for him after he was expelled.

The Fashionista’s voice rang out “I told you I knew where that little shit was! Puhuhuhuhu!” With Sonosuke’s blade, he pried the soldier off of Sakakura and together, they fought back against her. “I was wondering, do you wanna know Sakakura’s dirty little secret?”  _ I can’t let myself get distracted from the fight.  _

“His widdle secwet issss…” Kyosuke and Sakakura had backed Ikusaba into a corner and went to knock her out- “He likes Yukizome-san! Oh wait, that’s not right. He likes Munakata-san!”  _ Irrelevant right now. “ _ Puhuhuhuhu. And he was going to lie to you, yup, he was gonna tell you he didn’t find any dirt on me. He must be really self conscious about all this.” His mind took a moment to process it. In the half second he paused, Ikusaba lunged at him.

She met Sakakura’s fist in the air and was knocked unconscious. Enoshima’s face flickered off. “Is it true.?” Kyosuke found himself asking. “Sakakura, is it true?”

“Yes. I-I’ve always… Felt this way…” He frowned, tossing The Soldier aside.

“Not that. If you lied… Nevermind, we can discuss this later. Yukizome and her class need our help.” He took off through the hall ahead of him.

**Chiaki Nanami**

_ Oh God It Hurts. _

_ oh god it hurts. _

_ OhGodItHurts. _

_ ohgodithurts. _

Every part of her body was in agony. Chiaki was limping through the maze, too pained to dodge anything.  _ How long have I been here? Why did Tsumiki-san push me? Why did Yukizome-Sensei…?  _ Her tormentor had stopped appearing, what did that mean? Had her friends stopped her? Are they coming to help her now? Pain seared through her body, her right foot, her left arm, her forehead. She couldn’t see through her right eye. A thin spear came from the ground and through her left leg.

It took all she had to not give up and collapse. She got up and forced herself to walk, every part of her screaming to give up. The black screens flickered.  _ Think of something.  _ Chiaki brought her mind to Hinata-kun, she was sure that the long haired man was him but he acted like he didn’t remember the name.  _ What did Enoshima do to him? Did Enoshima do anything to him? _

After what had to be twenty minutes, she looked up and saw a door. It was printed **G O A L** in golden letters. Her game sense told her this was a trap. But this was the only chance she had. It was risk opening the door, or leave and guarantee dying in a trap filled maze. _Dying?_ She couldn’t die here. She still had games to play. She still had her friends to see. Chiaki fumbled the doorknob, her blood causing it to slip. Another try and she twisted slowly. It flung open automatically.

Everything slowed down, like a killshot on an enemy.  _ Was this her killshot?  _ The cannon fired, the spear flinging out.  _ I failed them: Soda-kun, Nidai-kun, Sonia-san, Mitarai-kun, Owari-san, Hanamura-kun, Saionji-san, Koizumi-san, Tanaka-kun, Pekoyama-san, Kururyu-kun, Komaeda-kun and Mioda-san. I failed Tsumiki-san. I failed Yukizome-sensei. I failed Hinata-kun.  _ The spear was a foot away now.  _ I’m sorry, I’m sorry everyone. _

Chiaki saw out of the corner of her eye, a man rushing towards her.  _ It’s too late _ . She thought.  _ You can’t stop it now.  _ The spear was an inch away from her. She felt his hands on her left shoulder, pain shooting through her wound. It felt as though he was shoving her. He was shoving her.  _ It’s too late anyways, it was about to hit her. _

_ Nothing.  _

_ Nothing other than the pain already there.  _ Chiaki looked to her left. The man had a hole through his chest, the spear tumbling across the blood stained ground behind her.  _ Did he just…? Who is he, I don’t even know him. Why did he…?  _ The man was wearing a silver suit with matching silver hair. She wanted to ask, but her voice failed to form words, only leaving her mouth lethargically open.

The man looked down to his chest, then back up at Chiaki. Slowly letting out a frail laugh. “Please… Please help Chisa.” The man fell backwards onto the ground, his foot hit a tile. Spikes shot up from the ground impaling the man everywhere. Chiaki would have clasped her mouth if she had the strength to raise her arms.  _ Is that what Enoshima wanted to happen to me?  _

Another man Chiaki hadn’t noticed who was wearing a security uniform let out a scream. _Were they security? The man who saved her wasn’t wearing a uniform._ The spears retracted into the floor. The security guard ran to the other man. “Munakata…!?” _Munakata? The name sounds familiar. Did Yukizome-sensei mention him? He did mention her._

Munakata stirred.  _ He’s still alive?  _ Chiaki thought in disbelief. “Saka… kura.”  _ Sakakura? The head of security is Juzo Sakakura. Is this him?  _ Chiaki knew the name but had never met him. Sakakura kneeled down and held Munakata’s hand, tears rolling down his face. “I don’t… hate… you.” Sakakura clenched his hand even harder. “I… forgive… you. Get her… Out.” Munakata stopped moving. Sakakura loosened his grip.

With that, the relieving numbness started to fade from Chiaki. She fell back against the wall, slipping in her own blood. Everything aching. Sakakura looked between the man and her, before rushing to her side. He tried to examine her wounds but clearly didn’t know much about the topic. She couldn’t judge, the most she knew was from the Surgeon series. But that wasn’t important right now.

Chiaki could feel her consciousness fading. She looked to the door opposite the maze and saw a figure standing there. Even silhouetted she knew who it was, it was Hinata-kun.  _ No, not him, he would’ve never shot Komaeda-kun. Right?  _ Sakakura must’ve noticed him too, or at least felt his presence. He turned to protect her as the figure approached. She wanted to tell him to run. When she opened her mouth, blood from her head dripped in, causing her to gag. She remembered reading somewhere that Sakakura was the Ultimate Boxer so seeing him tossed aside thoughtlessly. Whoever this figure is, they are terrifying. They stepped over Munakata’s body.

When he reached Chiaki she braced for impact. If he was working with Enoshima, and Enoshima wanted her dead, then he was probably here to kill her. She closed her eyes, blinking tears and blood out. A few moments passed before he grabbed her. He held her by her back and by her legs. He was holding her gently. Carrying her lightly. Chiaki only had a second to think about it before she faded away.

**Ryota Mitarai**

After he’d finished getting everyone out, Ryota found himself stuck watching the monitors. The others had been watching for a while but not enough to be brainwashed forever. Nanami was his greatest concern right now. Ryota winced when she was hit through the leg but she still kept going. She was truly the hope of her class.

It was obvious why Enoshima chose her to die. 

Eventually Nanami reached a door with the word goal printed in gold. Ryota thought it was an obvious trap but she still reached for the doorknob. As she turned the doorknob the screens all went blank.  _ What? Was that it? Did she make it? Was it not a trap? _

All he could do now was wait. He had tied up Tsumiki-san, she was already infected but the others should be fine. After what felt like an hour, the first person woke up. “Wh-what happened? Mitarai-kun?” Komaeda-kun turned towards Ryota “Is Nanami-san okay? That… Despair. It was powerful, but not enough to overcome hope.”

“I’m not sure, she reached a door… It looked like an exit. But as she turned the doorknob, the feed cut.” Komaeda stared at his left hand and started to laugh.

“Without my luck, I’d be worried. But, things often work out for hope.” He said with a grin. How he could smile after seeing a friend go through that, he couldn’t possibly understand. Ryota explained as much as he could before the next person woke up.

“What the fuck? Mitarai? Komaeda? What’s going on?” Kuzuryu-kun exclaimed as he rose. After explaining everything to him, Koizumi-san woke up, then Nidai-kun. Then Pekoyama-san, Owari-san and Tanaka-kun. Eventually everyone was awake, everyone except Tsumiki-san. “I knew that Pig Barf was a traitor!” Saionji-san exclaimed when she heard the news.

“Well, what’s taking so long?” Owari-san asked, “I’m getting hungry.” Eventually, after what felt like hours, though must have only been a few minutes, Tsumiki-san awoke and questioned why she was restrained. When Ryota explained that they knew she was brainwashed and they couldn’t be sure what she would try when she woke up.

“What? Th-that’s not! I d-didn’t!” The Nurse whined. “I w-would n-never do s-something like th-that!”

“Shut up Pig Barf, we know what you did, you traitor! How dare you hurt Nanami-onee!” The Dancer retorted.

“Fine, I did it, but if only you could truly see the beauty of despair” Tsumiki-san’s tone changed and she stopped stuttering “If only this wannabe animator didn’t SCREW EVERYTHING UP! Then you could see the beauty of Enoshima-sama!"

“Mikan-chan is starting to scare Ibuki.” Mioda-san stated

“Nidai-kun, grab Tsumiki-san, let’s get out of here.” Ryota ordered.

“What about Nanami-san? Are we just going to leave her?” Komaeda asked. Ryota had been dreading that question.  _ What if Enoshima wanted them to look for her? What would they find of her if they did? What about Munakata and Sakakura?  _

“We should get everyone out of here and… And tell some more adults, they can handle it from there.” Ryota was starting to crack, everyone was looking at him. The walls started to close in around him, they needed to leave. “It’s the best chance of everyone turning up alive”

With those last words, the class headed towards the stairs.  _ What if you didn’t save them in time? What if they are just toying with you? What if _ \- a hand clapped his shoulder. The Impostor whispered in his ear. “Thank you Mitarai-kun, you’re… You’re a real hero.”

To Tsumiki-san’s protest, they started up the stairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry Munakata, I feel if you die here, Sakakura will be able to grow past his character in the anime


	2. Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was really cool to see everyone liked Chapter 1.
> 
> I’m going to say that the main characters are gonna be Chiaki, Ryota and Juzo but they aren’t going to be the only perspectives we see.

**Ryota Mitarai**

As the class emerged from the statue, thunder crashed through the clouds. The storm had gotten worse while Ryota was underground. A bolt of lightning slashed through the sky, hitting the new school building. The group had decided to head there to alert Kirigiri Jin, the Headmaster of Hope’s Peak Academy.

The class circled the old building passing by the crowd of reserve course students and their ‘parade’. The reserve course's angry shouting grew louder when they saw class 77-B passing by. Some of them started to charge the gates while the security guards held them off. A few started to slip past the guards.

Pekoyama-san drew her sword as the students drew near. “Go on, young master, I will catch up.” _Young Master? Who was she referring to?_ After a slight protest from Kuzuryu-kun, the group carried on. Ryota passed the spot where the students had attacked him earlier. _What would’ve happened if I ran? Would Nanami-san be dead? Was she already dead? What would have happened to the rest of the class? Where are Munakata-san and Sakakura-san?_

A crash of thunder brought Ryota back to his senses. They were nearing the new school building, Ryota thought over what he would say to Kirigiri-san. When they reached the school, they decided that Mioda-san, Hanamura-kun, Kuzuryu-kun, Saionji-san and Koizumi-san would stay in the lobby and wait for Pekoyama-san while the rest went to talk to the Principal.

The class piled into the elevator, barely fitting everyone in. Ryota hit the elevator button to the office floor and waited for the doors to close. The silence in the elevator was deafening, everyone was afraid that the Headmaster wouldn’t believe them, or worse, he wouldn’t care.

The elevator dinged and the students stepped out onto the floor. They entered the waiting room and headed towards the door to his office. His receptionist piped up. “Kirigiri-san is seeing someone right now. You will have to wait here.” Owari-san opened her mouth to retort but Nidai-kun grabbed her shoulder and sat her down. Ryota was just glad that she didn’t ask why they were carrying a tied up girl.

After a while the door opened and a girl with long pale lavender hair stepped out. The class entered the Headmaster’s office. His face was stern yet gentle with jet black hair. The room was clean and organised, his desk clear except for a picture on the left of his desk. He looked at Tsumiki-san inquisitively before turning to face them. “Class 77-B, how may I help you today?” Everyone’s eyes turned towards Ryota, he opened his mouth and began to explain everything.

When he finished, the Headmaster turned to the rest of the class. “And you all support this story?” Everyone began to nod. He looked towards the picture on his desk before pulling out a cellphone and making a call.

**Juzo Sakakura**

Juzo opened his eyes. _Who was that? Was he that Kamukura the Mitarai had mentioned?_ He looked towards where Munakata had died. His body was still there, untouched it seemed, but Nanami was missing. How long was I out? The Boxer pulled himself to his feet. There wasn’t a blood trail leading from where Juzo left her. She had to have been carried. _Did Kamukura take Nanami? But to where?_

Munakata died to save her, he couldn’t let his death be in vain. Juzo went up to Munakata’s body and grabbed the blade lying next to it. He then took off down the hall he saw Kamukura enter from. The hallway was a barren silver-gray passage. _How is all this right under Hope’s Peak? How did I not know about it? When was this all built?_ Eventually, Juzo reached the end of the hallway punctuated with another door, he grabbed at the handle.

*Click* The door was locked. He stepped back and kicked the door as hard as he could. It swung open to reveal an empty room with only a bed in the centre. There was no other door. _Was Kamukura waiting here? He must’ve taken Nanami the other direction._ With that, Juzo took off back down the hallway and entered the other room. He was about to dash back towards the entrance when he noticed something. Munakata’s body was missing.

Juzo saw no blood trail once again, he must’ve been carried too. Juzo began to run back through the endless round rooms. After a while, he ended up in the furnished room, all of the students were gone and the monitors were off. _Mitarai must’ve succeeded, right?_ He grabbed the doors and tore them open. He dashed down the hall until he reached The Animators room. He stopped only long enough to make sure that no one was in there.

He started up the staircase. Juzo stopped when he reached the turn where Nanami was pushed. He pushed on the wall, it moved with very little force. Looking down, he saw it was a chute of some sort. He dropped Munakata’s blade down. After a few seconds he heard a faint clattering as it reached the bottom. Without much more thought, he jumped down the hole.

He slid for a while before he flew out into another hallway. Juzo pushed himself up and grabbed the blade. _Left or Right?_ The Boxer decided to turn right down the hallway, and took off at a sprint.

**Chiaki Nanami**

Chiaki opened her eyes. The blindingly white ceiling was her first notion something was wrong. _Where am I?_ She definitely wasn’t in her dorm room, she tried to remember what happened. Her forehead seared with pain. She tried to get up, that only made things worse, now everything was hurting. The Gamer couldn’t help but let out a gasp. She looked around. There seemed to be medical supplies around her.

Am I in the Nurse’s office? But this looked different, her bed was the only one in there. Then she noticed him. A shadowed figure was standing in a corner and memories came flooding back to her. They hit like a firetruck, tears started streaming down her face. The man came over and pulled up a chair. He sat and explained how she had been unconscious for about two hours. His voice was dull and unenthusiastic, he sounded nothing like Hinata-kun. “Who are you?” Chiaki blurted out the first question that had come to her mind.

“I am Kamukura Izuru. I believe you knew the person who had inhabited this body prior?” _Body prior? What did he mean?_ All Chiaki could do was nod. “I will not give you false hope, that person is gone. His mind was erased and replaced with the embodiment of every known talent.” _Gone? Erased? He sounds like a character from a game._

“What happened?” Chiaki asked, a little harsher than she meant to. The man gave her an inquisitive look. She realized her question was a little vague. “Where am I? Why did you take me?” 

“You are in an underground clinic. As for why, Enoshima said she still has plans for you.” The name sent a shiver down her spine. _Plans? _What does he mean plans? She thought of the maze again, of the torture that woman put her through. She shuddered at the thought.__

____

____

She looked to her left arm and saw that it was bandaged. _Did that insane woman want to put her through the maze again?_ She didn’t dare ask that question. “Why? Why is she doing this?” Kamukura looked like he was expecting the question.

“She wants to brainwash the rest of class 77-B. She has a paradoxical addiction to despair. The problem is the brainwashing needs a despair inducing visual to go along with it.” Chiaki remembered something that Enoshima had said, ‘With your death, your classmates will turn to despair! Pu hu hu hu!’ _Are they okay?_ She opened her mouth to ask. “Your class is fine. From what I know, they have alerted the Headmaster.”

“What does that mean?” Chiaki was terrified of what the answer could be.

“Enoshima will likely leave you alone. Kirigiri is a serious man, he wouldn’t let something like this slide. Enoshima will go into hiding or get caught. For now, I believe you are safe.” With those words, a weight had been lifted off of her chest.

“Why are you telling me this, I thought you were helping her?”

“I was merely there to observe. She promised me something and failed to deliver.” _What did she promise?_ “As for why I’m telling you. I don’t see why I should hide the truth.” As he said that, he got up and pulled out a phone showing the mildest sign of surprise.

“It appears I was wrong. Enoshima wants to go out with a bang.” Chiaki’s heart sunk. Kamukura put his phone back into his pocket and scooped Chiaki up. Her injuries stopped her from resisting as he carried her out of the room and into a long hallway. Her screams didn't phase him.

**Ryota Mitarai**

After the Headmaster called the police, Ryota had spent a long time being questioned. He finally was let go and led back to classroom 77-B where everyone except Tsumiki had been waiting. A man that Ryota recognised as his talent scout Kizakura Koichi was at the front of the room.

Ryota went to take a seat behind the Impostor but Nidai-kun piped up. “Hey, Mitarai-kun, that’s Nanami-san’s desk.” He looked to the side and moved over one desk, behind Mioda-san. He looked out the window towards the ‘Parade’ thinking of Nanami, he hoped she would turn up fine.

After a while, the TV at the head of the class had turned on showing a static screen. Kizakura looked up puzzled, he tried to turn it off but nothing would work. Eventually a feed came through, the only thing visible was Nanami-chan, tied to an office chair in the middle of the room, she had multiple bandages wrapped around her. When Kizakura saw her, he pulled out a phone. Ryota could hear Kizakura’s voice even if he was trying to keep quiet. “Jin, hey-” He paused. “Everywhere? Dammit.” Kizakura put the phone back into his pocket before saying, “You all stay right here, understand?” Everyone’s eyes were glued to the screen. Kizakura nodded before running out of the room.

After a while, Nanami seemed to stir. She looked up, she had a gag around her mouth, letting out some muffled screams. Ryota recognised the brainwashing effect through the screen, it was barely hidden compared to the Maze feed. This time it was different though, it was more powerful. He tried to get up and block the screen but he was petrified. He couldn’t move, Kizakura said it was playing everywhere. _Was she trying to brainwash the entire school?_

Eventually a voice came through. “Hey everyone!” The Despair popped her head in front of the camera. “You may have been hearing some awful rumours about me and I just wanna let you know…” She reached her hand into her cleavage and pulled out a scalpel. “That they’re completely fucking true!” She stepped out of the way showing Nanami with tears streaming down her face. Enoshima appeared behind the Gamer and rolled her chair closer to the camera. “Let’s hear what this ‘Ultimate Gamer’ has to say, why don’t we!”

Enoshima took off Nanami’s gag and she shouted out. “Help me! Please, somebody, help me!” Ryota felt tears streaming down his face. The Despair started laughing maniacally as the Gamer pleaded for her life.

“Let’s start with a little makeover, shall we?” Enoshima spouted as she grabbed some of Nanami’s hair. The Gamer winced as a scalpel started cutting through her hair. After half her hair had been torn out or cut off, Enoshima stated. “This is getting boring, let’s get to the interesting part.”

Ryota tried to look away or close his eyes to no avail. Enoshima took the scalpel with grace as she started cutting Nanami. She took the scalpel right under Nanami’s right eye making a delicate cut. Nanami let out a whimper. The Despair took the blade to her right arm making a deeper, longer cut. Nanami’s whimpers turned to cries. Enoshima kneeled down and slashed Nanami’s right thigh. Nanami’s cries turned to screams. Enoshima continued to slash the Gamer for a while.

Enoshima stood up saying, “Y’know, I get bored really easily” She was so fast with her movements that Ryota almost missed her slamming the scalpel through Nanami’s right forearm. The scream the Ultimate Gamer let out, Ryota tried to get it out of his head. 

Enoshima stood up and stepped forward, bending over so the camera got a full view of her cleavage. “Those pink eyes are really getting on my nerves.” She said pulling out a spoon. Ryota choked on his spit. _Please no, I don’t, I never meant for this to happen._ Nanami let out another bloody scream before fainting as Enoshima stepped toward her. Enoshima pried open the Gamer’s left eye and put the spoon underneath, and right before she dug in, she looked back around to her left.

A blur came from the side knocking Enoshima and the camera to the ground. He could hear Enoshima shouting, “Kamukura, help me-” That was all she got out before she was knocked unconscious. The feed cut out and Ryota stood up. Everyone else started to stand up as soon as they got their senses back. “Wh-what happened?” Blurted out Mioda-san. Before he realized what he was doing, Ryota had dashed out of the classroom and towards the elevator.

**Juzo Sakakura**

As he knocked Enoshima unconscious, Juzo looked to the corner of the room, he saw a shadowy figure standing there. The Boxer grabbed his blade to prepare for a rematch with Kamukura. The long haired man reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object setting it on a nearby table before walking out the door. Juzo started after him before looking back at the unconscious Gamer.

He looked to the table and grabbed what Kamukura left there. It was a small pixelated hairpin. _Is this Nanami’s?_ He shoved it into his pocket before turning his attention to her. She was unconscious now, likely from shock. She seemed to have lost a lot of blood, the scalpel in her arm looked painful but Juzo knew better than to pull it out. He grabbed some of the rope Munakata had given him and tied Enoshima up before he left.

He scooped the Gamer out of the chair before heading back down the hall. While he was searching, he saw a staircase heading up, he started in the direction of the staircase trying to keep his arms as still as possible as he ran. After a few minutes he reached the staircase and started making his way up.

He emerged in the gym of the old building. He quickly ran outside and started heading to the new building. Rain was falling very heavily and when the protesters saw him, they charged. Most of the security guards were likely off searching for Nanami leaving the gate with very few defenders.

They were quickly overwhelmed leaving a horde of angry students chasing him. He couldn’t keep Nanami very still while being chased so he ran at a sprint. He barely reached the new building in time. A line of officers were standing guard outside so the reserve students couldn’t follow him inside. Juzo hit the button to call an elevator and after a few seconds, one opened up.

Inside was Mitarai standing before noticing Nanami. “Sakakura?” He said surprised. Juzo hopped in the elevator and hit the third floor button, the school’s Medical Center was there. Mitarai piped up, “Where’s Munakata?” The Boxer’s silence said enough.

The elevator dinged. Juzo ran out with Mitarai close behind him, when they reached the room, Kirigiri and Kizakura as well as the Police Chief were standing there seemingly waiting for him.

After Nanami was being treated by the nurses, Juzo told them where Enoshima was, the Chief pulled out a radio and reciprocated the info to the force. Mitarai announced that he had figured whoever attacked Enoshima would probably rush Nanami to the Medical Center. The Boxer then explained what had happened after he and Mitarai split. After he finished, Kirigiri sighed. “I’m sorry about Munakata, I know the two of you were close.” A few minutes had passed when the Chief’s radio flicked on, with a cop saying they found Enoshima “I should go and announce Enoshima’s defeat.” Kirigiri said, before he left.

**Leon Kuwata**

After the video feed cut, Leon felt his body again. “Wh-what? What the hell?” What was Enoshima-san doing? Where was Ikusaba-san? What the hell was going on? Owata-kun was the next to speak up.

“What the fuck was that? What the fuck was Enoshima-san doing?” Leon had heard of the Ultimate Gamer from class 77-B. _Enoshima-san did refer to the girl as an 'Ultimate Gamer'. Was that her?_

The Gambler spoke next. “It was clearly torture. What I am more worried about is why we couldn’t move.” Hagakure-kun ran to the trash can and puked. 

“The fuck do you mean ‘clearly torture’? What did that girl even do?” The class erupted in an argument soon after. Naegi-kun tried to talk over them but failed to quell the storm. Leon eventually joined in after Togami-kun mentioned him by name.

The argument lasted until an announcement played over the speakers. Kirigiri Jin’s voice was louder than any of theirs, ending the class’s disagreement instantly. “We would like to inform the students of Hope’s Peak that Enoshima Junko has been apprehended and the girl seen in the video is recovering well.” _That’s it? No explanation on what the hell was going on?_ “We will be cutting the school day short due to today’s events. Please return to your dorms.”

A majority of the class stood up and started walking out. Only Leon, Naegi-kun, Kirigiri-san and Togami-kun remained in the class. Naegi-kun brought up the question that Leon had been meaning to ask. “That’s it?”

Togami-kun retorted. “Yes Naegi, that seems to be it.”

“But why? Why would Enoshima-san do that?”

“Enoshima is clearly insane, Naegi, why else would someone do this?”

“But who even was that girl?”

Leon replied. “I think she is the Ultimate Gamer from class 77-B”

“Where is Ikusaba?” Leon turned to the corner where Kirigiri-san remained sitting. “Enoshima-san’s sister not showing up the day this all goes down. It can’t be a coincidence.”

Leon got up and started to leave, when Naegi-kun turned to him. “Kuwata-kun, where are you going?”

“I was hoping one of you would have some answers, but now I just have more questions. I just need to lie down.” Naegi nodded before he continued his discussion with the others.

**Chiaki Nanami**

Chiaki opened her eyes. The blindingly white ceiling was her first notion something was wrong. _Where am I?_ A woman in white stood over to her left. She tried to sit up but all that came was pain. She looked around the room that she recognised as the Medical center. She had gone there with Tsumiki-san a few times. _Tsumiki-san?_ Chiaki remembered the maze. She remembered Kamukura. She remembered Enoshima. The last thing she remembered was Enoshima pulling out a spoon and saying something about her eyes. She blinked a few times to make sure she still had two.

She looked down to see herself wearing a medical gown and saw she had more bandages wrapped around her. “What happened?” The woman gave her a strange look. As if she didn’t realize Chiaki had woken up.

“Oh, uh, Enoshima was arrested, Sakakura Juzo stopped her and saved you.” Although it felt as though a weight had been lifted off her chest, Chiaki knew that Hope’s Peak usually had students based in medicine treat the other students. Tsumiki-san was the only student like that learning now. _Where is she?_ “I am a doctor called in from a nearby hospital.” She finished

“Where is Tsumiki-san?”

“She has been detained.” _Detained? Why was she detained?_ When the doctor saw the puzzled look on her face, she continued. “She has been detained because she was working with Enoshima. She did betray you, right?” Chiaki could only muster a nod. She thought of when Tsumiki-san pushed her down that chute. She thought the Nurse would have a reason that she could explain when Chiaki woke up.

“W-working with Enoshima?” 

“Mitarai Ryota has stated that she was likely brainwashed but we can’t know for sure.” _Brainwashed? What did Enoshima do?_ At least Tsumiki-san didn’t betray me on purpose. “The rest of your class is in the waiting room. Would you like me to call them in?” Chiaki nodded.

Mioda-san was the first in the room and wrapped her arms around Chiaki. The pain was quickly overwhelmed by the happiness she felt upon seeing her class. Everyone quickly piled in, each hugging her, even Kuzuryu-kun. Everyone except Tsumiki-san. Komaeda-kun was the first to say anything, going off on one one of his tangents.

“Man, if we lost you, Nanami-san... I don’t know what I’d do. When I saw you on the screen, I worried my luck had failed me once again but alas, hope pulled through like usual!” Saionji-san started berating him before Soda-kun spoke up.

“Yo Nanami, check this out.” He pulled out his phone and showed her a picture of what seemed like Enoshima getting shoved into a Police Cruiser. “I snapped this as she was getting carted away.” Chiaki uttered a quick ‘thanks’ before Mitarai began talking.

“The Doctor said you’d be stuck here for a few days so I grabbed these for you.” As he said that, he pulled out her Game Girl Advance™ and a pile of assorted games for the system, placing them on her bedside table. “Security let me into your room just to grab these.” When Mitarai mentioned security, her mind flashed back to Sakakura. Right as she was about to ask where he was, he stepped into the room.

“I came as soon as I heard.” The Boxer looked as if he’d just ran a mile. The class parted as he stepped forward. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object out, placing it next to her games. She looked over to see her Gala Omega hairpin. When she looked back, she saw him stepping out of the room.

Everyone was quiet now, they seemed to be waiting for her to say something. She thought for a second before asking the question that had been itching at her for a while now. “Where is Yukizome-sensei?” Everyone looked as if they were expecting Chiaki to have the answer. She realized that they probably didn’t know about her and the elevator.

As Chiaki started to explain her point of view, she thought of Munakata and what he had asked of her. When she finished, the Imposter spoke. “It appears that Ikusaba Mukuro, Enoshima’s sister, has also disappeared.” She felt as though she should be worried at the news but instead, she felt fine. She couldn’t explain why but she did.

The class stayed with her for a while, exchanging stories. The Imposter flaunted his disguises, he even imitated Chiaki, the fake her looked just like her, if not a little rounder and still with her old haircut. Eventually, the students started to file out until it was just her, Komaeda and Mitarai. She hadn’t told anyone what Munakata had said to her but she felt if she should tell anyone, it should be these two.

It was well past 8 PM by the time Komaeda and Mitarai left together promising to help her keep Munakata’s dying wish. Chiaki was able to move her arms enough to reach over to the side table and grab her GGA and load in her copy of Pokemon Fire Red to continue her nuzlocke run. When she was in the Maze, she was terrified that she wouldn’t get to play a video game ever again. As she stepped into Sabrina’s gym, a tear rolled down her face. Not a tear of sadness, but not a tear of joy either. A tear of acceptance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That hurt to write. I'm sorry Chiaki, I really am. I’ll try to stop abusing you, I promise.
> 
> I chose to write from Leon’s perspective to see class 78’s reaction because he seems like he would’ve been close with Junko before this all went down and he also was a pretty forgettable member of class 78 so I wanted to give him some screentime.


	3. Reflection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this started off as fluff but all I can say now is, big feels chapter comin’ up.

**Chiaki Nanami**

Chiaki awoke to the doctor’s check-up the day after it all went down. The night before, The Gamer had finished her run and fallen asleep, GGA still in her hands. Once the Doctor finished, Chiaki noticed that it was already nine in the morning. She went to grab another game when Kuzuryu-kun and Pekoyama-san stepped in. The Yakuza looked embarrassed.

“Listen, Nanami-san, don’t take this the wrong way but we felt bad about your hair.” She hadn’t thought about it much, but Enoshima did leave the right side of her hair uneven and disheveled. “We were wondering if you’d wanted us to clean it up a little.” Kuzuryu-kun looked aside trying to hide his blushing. Chiaki nodded. She had always cut her own hair, but it would take a few months to grow back to her normal length.

Pekoyama-san pulled out a pair of scissors and began trimming the uneven hair so it would be even. Once she finished, Kuzuryu-kun pulled out a mirror for Chiaki to see. _It actually looks pretty cute. Maybe she’s secretly the Ultimate Hairdresser._ “Why aren’t you both in class?”

“Eh? I mean Yukizome-sensei is still missing and y’know, you’re here, so no one really saw a reason to go. We all did agree to meet up for lunch though.” Chiaki was conflicted about that. _On one hand, everyone seems to look up to me. But on the other hand, what would’ve happened to them if Enoshima won._ She didn’t want to think about it. “Everyone also pitched in to grab this for you.” After saying that, he pulled out a black hat with Pacman, Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde on it. “We don’t really know much about games but we got this incase you didn’t like your haircut” After assuring them she liked her hair, she put on the hat.

After she looked back at the mirror, she felt like something was missing. She reached over to her side table and grabbed her hairpin. After she clipped it to the brim of her hat, she thanked the two and told them to pass it on to the rest of the class. They talked for a bit before the others had to go. As her friends left, the doctor came back to help Chiaki with her physical therapy.

She had some feeling back in both her legs but they were still too weak to walk. She sat up as the doctor finished her tests saying that she should be able to walk with a cane by the end of the week. That helped Chiaki feel better. She ate lunch while thinking of the others.  
After she ate, Chiaki reached into the pile of games and drew one at random. Gala Omega. She thought of Hinata-kun. She thought of Kamukura. She thought of what he said. ‘She promised me something and failed to deliver.’ _What did Enoshima promise him? Apparently he was the one who gave my hairpin to Sakakura. It didn’t seem like he hated me, like he was doing it all for that promise._

She thought it over for a while before grabbing another game. As she finished a playthrough of Final Fantasy VI, Mioda-san peaked her head in. “Oh my gosh, Ibuki loves your hair!” Everyone stepped in one at a time, each complimenting her. Almost everyone circled around her. But Soda-kun and Nidai-kun seemed to be carrying something. They slipped behind everyone.

After a few minutes of idle conversation, she heard Soda-kun announce, “Ok, we’re done.” Everyone stepped aside and Chiaki saw that they had set up a few consoles and a TV. The Mechanic handed her a controller. “All of these were modified by yours truly to optimize their performance, now all we need is a choice.” He pulled out a few games for each console and let Chiaki decide which to play first. 

They played almost every game Soda-kun brought. Chiaki won most, Komaeda-kun won a few luck based games and Tanaka-kun even won once. _It’s been a while since we all played together, hasn’t it._ Eventually everyone started to leave like the night before. Mitarai-kun was the last one remaining after Koizumi-san left. “So, I don’t have any news about Yukizome-sensei but I did learn some things I think you’d like to know.” Mitarai continued.

**Ryota Mitarai**

Ryota thought of the promise he’d made Nanami-san the night before. He was up by the time everyone else was having breakfast. He went to sit next to Komaeda-kun to discuss what they were going to do. As he sat down, Kuzuryu-kun stood up to make an announcement. “So as you know, Nanami-san went through some really fucked up shit. I was just going to ask if anyone knew how to cut hair?” Pekoyama-san offered to help before he continued. “I also wanted to get her a hat, in case she doesn’t like her hair being short.” 

“Why do you care?” Saionji-san questioned. “You weren’t even that close to her.” Kuzuryu-kun stuttered for a second before retorting.

“I-I just feel bad okay? I was right there and didn’t do anything!” He shouted with fury before turning a shade of hot pink and looking away. Mioda-san then stood up.

“If you want, Ibuki will pay for it!” Nidai-kun stood up and interrupted her. 

“If someone is going to pay for it, it should be NEKOMARU NIDAI!” He laughed boisterously. Eventually everyone in the class was offering to buy the hat for her before Kuzuryu-kun stopped them.

“Why doesn’t everyone just chip in a little?” That led to a unanimous agreement. Koizumi-san brought up a question that hadn’t crossed Ryota’s mind.

“What about going to class?”

“Listen, our teacher is missing and our class rep is hospitalized. We can meet up for lunch if you want.” Kuzuryu-kun seemingly had taken the role as leader. “We can also all go see Nanami afterwards and bring some more games for her. Knowing her, she has probably finished all of her games Mitarai-kun had brought her anyways.” He laughed, Koizumi-san nodded

“I know!” Soda-kun blurted out. “I’ll upgrade some consoles for her, that way, Mitarai-kun can’t upstage me this time!” _Upstage him? Does he mean his picture? He was pretty proud of that._

“Then it’s decided, we’ll grab the cap and you can do whatever you do. Meet back here at lunch. Peko, come on.” When he said her name, Mioda-san gawked and they hurried out.

Everyone shortly finished their food and left as well. Ryota went up to Komaeda-kun as he was leaving. “Hey, I might need your help” After the Lucky Student had expressed how honoured he was that an ultimate student needed help from scum like him, Ryota continued. “Nanami-san wanted our help with finding Yukizome-sensei, so I was wondering if you’d come look around with me. Your luck could come in handy as well.” He nodded.

As the two stepped out of their dorms, the smell of the storm the day before wafted through the air. They quickly noticed how quiet it was. The ‘parade’ seemed to have dissipated overnight. The duo headed towards the statue of Kamukura Izuru only to see a police line had been wrapped around the area, there was no way they could access the passageways underneath the school through there.

Ryota had remembered Sakakura mentioning something about coming out in the old gym so they headed into the building. Komaeda quickly opened the hidden entrance by accident and shrugged it off. “Welp, glad my ‘talent’ could help you search for hope.” The Animator rolled his eyes.

They descended down the stairs which were noticeably shorter than the other staircase and ended up in a long hallway. They couldn’t see the end looking either way so they decided to split up. To the right, it seemed like there were many doors but to the left, the walls were plain. Ryota headed left whilst Komaeda-kun headed left.

Eventually, he came across what seemed to be a hole in the wall of his left, leading from a slide. _Is this… where she came out after she was pushed? She said Yukizome-sensei had picked her up when she came out, is this? She could be nearby!_ And with that, Ryota took off at a sprint down the hall.

After a while, he ran up to a set of deep red doors with golden highlights. Twisting the handle, a sense of dread overwhelmed him. He stood there for a few seconds before pulling the door open. An elevator. This was where it happened. If I hadn’t done what I did, she’d be… He felt sick. He walked over to the elevator and pushed the button. After a minute the doors dinged open.

He couldn’t bring himself to step into the elevator, he turned around to see the doorknob turning. He had a brief panic attack before Komaeda-kun stepped in. “So this is where it happened, huh?” Ryota nodded. “There wasn’t much down on my end, only a few empty classrooms. Only interesting thing there was a room with a blood pool in the middle, likely where Enoshima’s torture went down.”

After he finished, he stepped into the elevator and moved to hit the button. “What are you doing? The maze is down there, you know that.” He shrugged.

“If you truly wanna know where Yukizome-sensei is, you have to search everywhere. You don’t have to come with me if you don’t want to, it’s only natural for scum like me to put themselves in danger for hope like you.” Without much more thought, Ryota stepped into the elevator.

After a few minutes, the elevator doors split open into a short hallway. Ryota immediately recognised the walls as the same on the video. The Lucky Student stepped out into the maze. As he was about to turn, they heard a voice they couldn’t quite make out and some footsteps. They quickly hid behind some vines against the wall. 

The voice was clearer now. “According to the map, the elevator should be just around here.” Two men stepped around the corner. The younger one who had talked had stepped up to the elevator. “As I thought, Enoshima had stopped the elevator from being able to travel back up.”

The older man talked. “Why do you even care? You didn’t feel guilty when Enoshima butchered the student council.” 

“Listen man, I designed this maze. It was supposed to test Kamukura, not to actually hurt anyone… that poor girl. And that other kid, Munakata.” Ryota could hear the honesty in his voice.

“Anyways, all the traps should be disabled now and the elevator is fixed, so we should head back and tell the others.” The men took their leave and Komaeda-kun stepped out.

“Welp, that’s enough for me, I’m gonna head back up. Mitarai-kun, you gonna come with?” Ryota nodded and stepped into the elevator.

They made it back just in time for lunch and the Animator thought things over. _Who were those men? One of them designed the maze? They designed it for Kamukura? They also knew about the student council? Who are the others?_ “Mitarai-kun! Hello?” Sonia-san was talking to him. “Are you coming? We’re going to see Nanami-san.” He nodded, _I need to talk things over with her._

**Chiaki Nanami**

She awoke to the doctor’s check-up. “The Headmaster wanted to come see you after you woke up, he said he didn’t come yesterday because he thought you should rest.” She and Mitarai-kun had decided not to tell anyone about what he’d found, they couldn’t be sure who was working with those men. The Headmaster soon stepped in.

“Hello, Nanami-san.” He said with a small smile. “I thought you’d want to know.” She gave him a puzzled look. “I figured you’d want to know about Kamukura Izuru.” She thought of the man in Hinata-kun’s body. “I’ll start from the beginning. Hinata Hajime was unable to pay the school fees to remain in the reserve course. At the same time, The Steering Committee was looking for a way to create artificial talent. I allowed it. I hated the idea of artificial talent but still, I signed off on it.”

“Hinata had expressed that he was afraid that if he was kicked out of school, that he wouldn’t see somebody again. Although he never said who, I think we both know who he was referring to.” Chiaki felt a pit in her stomach. _He did it because of me._ “That was about the extent of my involvement in the project. What I signed off on was giving him one talent of his choice, but after the first successful insertion, they tried again. And again. And again. Eventually there wasn’t enough room in his brain for any more talent. So they started removing Hinata entirely. They loaded every single talent in Hope’s Peak’s history until there was nothing left of him.”

Chiaki felt tears welling up in her eyes. “What talent did he choose? What was his first choice?” She already knew the answer before he said it though.

“He wanted to be an Ultimate Gamer, like you.” She let her tears out. The Headmaster pulled her in for a hug and she didn’t resist. They stayed like that for a while, until her tears ran dry. He got up to leave. “I’m sorry, I’m truly sorry.” He left.

She grabbed the cartridge for Gala Omega and stared at it for a while. It wasn’t until the doctor came back in for some physical therapy that she put it down. After she finished, she was told that she was progressing very well. “A lot of students have expressed concern for you after seeing your video but I only let the members of your class in. Most gave up after one day but one group of three persisted.” Chiaki thought for a second before agreeing to let them in.

The first one was a tall blonde with glasses and the second was a girl with long lavender hair and black gloves. The third was a short guy with an ahoge. He spoke first. “Hello, Nanami-senpai, I am Naegi Makoto the Ultimate Lucky Student.”

“Please, call me Nanami-san.” He blushed and apologized.

The blonde was the next to talk. “My name is Togami Byakuya, the Ultimate Affluent Progeny, but you probably knew that.” He said with a smirk. She had never heard of him.

“And I am Kirigiri Kyoko, the Ultimate Detective.” _Kirigiri? Like Kirigiri Jin?_ “I am the headmaster's daughter, if that’s what you’re thinking.” 

“Your persistence makes me think you have more to say than just well wishes.” Chiaki assumed.

Togami smirked. “We wanted to know why Enoshima targeted you.” His bluntness stung a little, and she didn’t even know him. Naegi got mad.

“You don’t even know her, stop being so direct.” He turned to her. “What he meant is, Enoshima was our classmate and we were wondering why she would do something like that.”

“I’ve been wondering the same thing as well.” Chiaki added.

Togami let out a ‘hmph’. “I told you this was a waste of time.”

Naegi retorted. “It wasn’t a waste of time. We met Nanami-san and now we know she is fine.” He again turned to her. “I am really sorry what happened to you, but it was good to meet you. I hope we can be friends when this all blows over.” He said with an endearing smile.

As they were about to leave, Kirigiri questioned her. “Enoshima didn’t happen to use the word despair, did she?” Chiaki nodded. “Ok. Thank you.” They left, leaving Chiaki to her games.

**Juzo Sakakura**

Juzo had been busy after Enoshima’s defeat. He barely had time to drop off Nanami’s hairpin before he had to go and search for Ikusaba. It was about midday, two days after the event, now being called the ‘Despair Incident’. 

Hope’s Peak had tried to keep it quiet but somehow, the news had gotten out. After one day of quiet after the Reserve Course’s protest ended, the press had shown up at the gate. He was eating his lunch when word got to him that an ameteur news group had snuck in and were on their way to interrogate Nanami.

He ran out of the cafeteria and to the outside of the medical room. By the time the group had reached the room, they were unconscious. He almost turned to enter the room before he remembered the promise he’d made to himself. _I will not face her until I find Ikusaba, Kamukura and Yukizome._ He couldn’t bring himself to face her until she was safe.

He returned to the gates to ensure that no one else would get through to the school. He continued to go over the unknowns. _Where is Yukizome? Where is Ikusaba? Where is Kamukura? Who is Kamukura? What happened to Munakata’s body? What was Enoshima’s end goal? Is it just inflicting pain on others? What else does she have up her sleeve?_

He decided to go and see Mitarai and talk things over, they hadn’t seen each other since he had dropped off Nanami. Juzo caught him leaving his dorm room. “Hello, Mitarai, I was wondering if you had time to talk things over.” The animator seemed to only notice him after he said that.

“I have a few minutes, the class is going to see Nanami-san at three if you wanted to come. She did ask about you yesterday.”

He quickly shot down the idea. “I can’t, I made a promise.”

“A promise?” He gave him a puzzled look.

“I won’t face her until I know she is safe.”

“But she is safe. You don’t need to be so hard on yourself.”

“She isn’t safe though. Not until Ikusaba is found, or Kamukura. Don’t tell her I said that.”

Mitarai gave him an understanding nod. “I need to go now, if you don’t want to see her, then I won’t make you come.”

He hurried off after he said that, leaving Juzo alone. He stepped out of the building and returned to the gate.

**Chiaki Nanami**

After the members of class 78 had left, she ate her lunch and played some games. Soda-kun’s consoles ran better than ever before, she made a mental note to thank him. The night before, they all agreed to meet up here at three. At 2:50, she turned off her game and prepared for the others to arrive.

As soon as the clock struck three, she heard the door open and turned to see her worst nightmare. Enoshima was peeking her head in the doorway. “Did you miss me?”

She ran towards her bed. Chiaki tried to call out for help but couldn’t make a sound. The girl wrapped her hands around her neck and began to choke the Gamer. She couldn’t breathe. _Where was everyone? What did she do to them?_ Fueled by her thoughts, she grabbed Enoshima’s shoulders and shoved her off. She landed on the floor to her right.

She heard a yelp from her left, when she turned, she saw Koizumi-san looking at where she threw Enoshima. Chiaki looked back at her to see Mioda-san lying on the ground where Enoshima had been. “Wh-what?” Was all she could say. The rest of the class was in the room as well.

Mioda-san sat up, rubbing her head. Saionji-san soon taunted her. “It was just a hug, why’d you do that?”

“I-I didn’t-”

“It’s fine! Ibuki is okay!”

“Where? But? Enoshima was just here!” She realized what had happened. “I’m sorry, I thought-”

“Enoshima?” Hanamura-kun asked. “Wh-where?”

Sonia-san answered. “I believe you had what is called a ‘Delusion’” 

“PTSD is more likely.” The Imposter’s voice joined in. “I’ve acted as someone suffering from PTSD before and I had to study the effects. She likely saw Mioda-san as Enoshima coming to attack her. After what she went through, I don’t blame her”

“A terrible condition indeed, I wouldn’t wish it upon my greatest foe.” Tanaka-kun said theatrically. 

“I-I didn’t mean to, I’m so sorry.” Chiaki expressed.

“Ibuki already told you, Ibuki is fine!” She stood up. “But maybe we should tell your doctor about this.” A few of them stepped out to alert the doctor and stepped back in with her. After explaining what had happened, she said she needed to step out to call someone.

After a minute, she stepped back in. “I think you should all leave Nanami for today.” After much protest, they eventually started to leave. “The Headmaster thought this could happen so he reached out to a former student, she should be here by tomorrow.”

“Who?”

“Gekkogahara Miaya, the Ultimate Therapist.” Chiaki had heard about the Ultimate Therapist before, she was a strange woman who only talked through an avatar.

When the doctor left, she looked at the clock. _3:11._ She was really looking forward to playing with her friends. She grabbed the cartridge of Gala Omega again. _Where are you?_ She didn’t know how long she stayed like that. She thought of Yukizome-sensei. She thought of Ikusaba and Enoshima. But mostly, she thought of Kamukura and Hinata-kun.

**Izuru Kamukura**

Izuru walked down the empty hallway. As he walked, he reflected on the days prior. He thought of Komaeda and his luck. He thought of Enoshima and her despair. But mostly, he thought of Nanami and her hope. He couldn’t explain why, but he kept thinking about her.

_I followed her promise of despair but alas, it proved to be as boring as all else. Luck is slightly more intriguing but it still got stale. Her hope though, it pushed through the despair and won out in an unfair game. That man, Munakata, his sacrifice intrigues me as well. He had never met Nanami yet he laid down his life for hers._

The infinite talent inside of him had guessed wrong. It was the first time in his existence that he was wrong about something. He had lied to Nanami about Enoshima wanting her. A single question plagued him. _Why?_ He tried to find a reason why he had lied to her but he couldn’t find one. Again, a first for him. Despair almost drew him back when Enoshima had messaged him but after he’d seen what she’d pulled, he lost interest again.

When he tied Nanami to the chair, a small part of Izuru had tried to stop himself. He stifled the feeling. Once the stream had started, that small part grew. It grew to the point that it felt like Izuru was being torn in half. As if every talent he had was trying to tear it’s way out from under his skin. 

When the other man, Sakakura tackled the despair, the talents seemed to disappear. Leaving an empty shell. _No, not empty._ Something was still there. Something small, but something. He felt himself reaching into his pocket. He grasped a small object. Pulling it out and placing it on a nearby table before leaving.

As he stepped into the hallway, everything rushed back to him. Whatever drove him to leave had been obscured and drowned. He thought over the chances that Nanami would be saved at the last possible second twice. The only explanation was Ultimate Luck. Although it made little sense, he knew it had to have been his own.

He had remained underground since then, the tunnels designed for him, the tunnels he knew. It was so expansive that he doubted he would be found, even if he didn’t have his Luck. He opened the doors to the elevator before stepping in. After a minute, the doors had opened. He stepped into the maze he was tested with. He walked through, noticing that the traps had been disabled. As he left, he paused where Nanami would have died. He turned back.

He had memorized where he left Munakata’s body, moving it back to the place where he died. He moved down the hall until he reached the room where they had kept him. Sliding open a panel and entering the makeshift clinic he had set up for Nanami. He closed the entrance and laid down in the bed. Thinking of the gamer, he closed his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The haircut Chiaki got was like Gwen Stacy’s from Spiderman: Into the Spider Verse if you were wondering.
> 
> I promised to stop abusing her but, oops, the feels train hit hard.
> 
> I was going back and forth on actually including the Izuru part now but I figured any later and the reflection would’ve been too late. It also worked well with the other chapter explaining him.


	4. Forward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a while, I’ve been a little busy.

**Juzo Sakakura**

It was late when he heard the news. They found Munakata’s body. He rushed to the statue when he was told. He stopped only long enough to open the passage before he took off down the stairs. He ran through the hallway and into the circular hall. He opened the door to the side and took off through the endless rooms. Eventually he reached the trapped place.

Munakata’s still form was exactly where he had last seen it. _Where had it gone?_ He stepped through the officers who rediscovered his body and kneeled down. The cops stepped out of the room, leaving Juzo alone. He grabbed his hand. “I failed you, didn’t I? Knowing you, you’d say I didn’t, but I know I did. It should’ve been me here. I was just too slow.” He could feel the tears in his eyes.

“I promise not to fail you again. You gave your life to save Nanami, so I should be willing to do the same. And to think, if I hadn’t found Mitarai when I did, you’d still be alive. But Nanami wouldn’t, and Enoshima would’ve been free because of me. That’s why I need to look forward.” He let go of his hand and stood up. He turned to see a scrawny looking man, about a year older than him.

“I, uh, I’m sorry, I should’ve said something. I heard it all.” His voice was quiet and dry, but honest.

“That’s fine, now I have someone to hold me to that promise. Who are you?”

“Oh, I am Ito Kengo, The Ultimate Architect. I was called here to see if I knew about these passages but they seem to have been designed after my time at the school.” Juzo had heard of the Ultimate Architect during his time at Hope’s Peak. He supposedly helped design the new school building. “The most I can figure out from these designs is that they were probably used to test someone. We just need to figure out who that someone is.”

“Kamukura Izuru.” It was the only possibility. “It was made to test him.”

“Wait, b-but that’s the founder. I said these tunnels were made after I left Hope’s Peak. And the style, it’s way too modern for his time.”

“Not that Kamukura, the Kamukura I’m talking about is the one that was working with Enoshima.”

“E-Enoshima?” The Architect was shuddering.

“Yes, her.” He paused for a second. “What do you know about this Maze?” He gestured to the door behind him.

“I-I, n-not much. I only went in there to disable the traps.”

“And how did you know where the traps were?”

He fell silent. Juzo grabbed his shoulder tightly. “I-I don’t… I didn’t… I.” He paused. “I, uh, designed the Maze. B-but it wasn’t for this, it was for my final exam.”

“And who called you here?”

“Th-the Steering Committee.” The Steering Committee were the only people that Juzo couldn’t stand up to. He let go of Ito’s arm. He turned to leave. “Wait!” He looked back. “What are you going to do with me?”

“If you haven’t lied to me, then nothing”

**Chiaki Nanami**

She awoke to the doctor’s checkup. Chiaki had prepared to play a Super Smash Bros tournament with her class before her episode. She spent the rest of the night playing through the Sonic series again. She prepared for her physical therapy session. “Gekkogahara should be here by noon.” She had been able to walk to the door and back with a walker that time. “Wow, your progressing very well, your determination is something else. Tomorrow, I think you should be out of here.” That helped.

By the time they were done, it was eleven. Chiaki played games for the next hour, until the therapist arrived. She was in a wheelchair with a screen in front. She only saw her when she turned. She had light blue hair and a yellow scarf wrapped around her face. The screen turned on. A pink rabbit appeared and introduced herself. “I am Magical Girl Miracle ☆ Usami, pleasure to meet you!” She could faintly hear Gekkogahara typing away at her keyboard.

“Hello, I am Nanami Chiaki, the Ultimate Gamer.”

“Nice to meet you, I brought lunch for you, if you were hungry.” She nodded. Her chair opened and a bento box came out. Chiaki quickly ate, it felt good to eat something that wasn’t hospital food. After she ate, Usami spoke up. “So, you know why I’m here right?” Again, she nodded. “Okay then, let's get started. I only know the rough details of what happened so, please, tell me your side of the story.”

“Well, uh, I came to class like usual. Komaeda-kun came into class after being missing for a year. He said that he saw Tsumiki-san. So everyone split up to go find her. Then me and Komaeda-kun searched near the founders statue. He opened the passage and we went down. We found Enoshima and Mitarai-kun. He pulled a gun on her.” She paused to catch her breath. “Kamukura came and disarmed him. He turned the gun and shot Komaeda-kun. Mitarai-kun ran out. I turned to Komaeda-kun, he was shot in his student handbook. I carried him out.”

Chiaki stopped. “What’s wrong?”

“Sorry, it’s nothing. I carried him to the classroom where I met with everyone else. Tsumiki stepped in with Pekoyama-san. Yukizome-sensei was missing. We all left for the statue. Some reserve course students tried to stop us, Nidai-kun and Tanaka-kun held them off. We went down the staircase. Tsumiki-san stopped me and the others went on. She then pushed me down a chute of sorts. I landed and Yukizome-sensei was there. She led me to an elevator. She said something like, ‘You are the hope of the class. That’s why you were chosen.’ and she, uh, she…”

Chiaki trailed off. “If it’s too much for you, we can stop.”

“Yes, please.”

“One last thing, a close friend of mine made this and wanted me to give it to you.” A small object was dispensed that Chiaki recognised as a disc for her console. Gekkogahara quickly left. The Gamer picked up the game and flipped it over. It said, ‘For: Nanami Chiaki. From: Fujisaki Chihiro.’ She recognised the name of the Ultimate Programmer, she had meant to meet up with her a few times but Fujisaki-san had always ran off when she went to talk to her. She excitedly put the disc into the console that Soda-kun had upgraded for her.

The game seemed like a simple 2D platformer, just with Chiaki as the player character. But, when she beat the first level, it seemed to change genres. It turned into a turn based RPG with all of her classmates. Before changing into a fighting game. She felt guilty beating everyone but it was still fun. After she had beat every level, a character select screen came up. Everyone in her class was there. She looked at the clock and saw that it was almost three.

Mioda-san peaked her head in the door before asking, “Heyyy, Ibuki’s in the house!” Everyone piled in, seemingly more nervous today than before. “The Rabbit Girl said Ibuki could come see Chiaki-chan today!” Everyone nodded along. Chiaki said she should be out tomorrow which led to a celebratory applause. She passed out some controllers to everyone and they each picked themselves. Except for the Imposter, he chose random. It was the first time Chiaki had ever seen 15 player co-op.

After ten minutes, they beat the 2D platformer and moved on to the RPG. “Since when do my Four Dark Devas of Destruction only do 15 damage?” Everyone had a good laugh at that. They eventually reached the fighting game. Everyone had a good time, even though Chiaki won. After they finished the game, they talked for a bit before everyone started to leave. Once again, Mitarai-kun was the last one there.

“Nanami-san, I didn’t want to say it in front of the others… but…”

“What?”

“We found Yukizome-sensei.”

**Ryota Mitarai**

After they had been kicked out of Nanami-san’s room, they all decided to meet again for dinner. Some of class 77B had decided to go see Tsumiki-san. “Why the hell should I care if the pukey pig is okay, she was why this all happened to Nanami-san anyways.” Saionji objected when they had brought up the idea. Some others brought up similar points and some just had other things to do. Eventually, only Ryota, Komaeda-kun, Kuzuryu-kun, Pekoyama-san and Nidai-kun were the ones going.

“It’s a team manager’s duty to check up on every member of the team!” Nidai shouted. Tsumiki-san had been placed under house arrest inside her dorm room. When they knocked on the door, she opened immediately.

“Please, help me.” She was wearing an ankle bracelet with a green light on it. “I am better, I promise, they just won’t believe me.” She stepped towards them and the light turned red. She realized and when she tried to step inside, she tripped and fell. When she hit the ground, her ankle bracelet got caught on the doorknob, leaving her in a very lewd position.

Kuzuryu-kun blushed and looked away, Pekoyama-san helped her down. She stood up and apologized profusely. She definitely seemed like her old self. “You were under Enoshima’s control for a while, for it to wear off just now… Is unlikely.” Ryota had been locked up with Tsumiki-san for a pretty long time.

“M-Maybe it’s because of the maze video… It may have overwritten the other stuff. Or maybe it was the other video, t-the one with the… the torture.”

“Wait a minute, you were in here when that video played. How’d you know about it?” Komaeda-kun’s point was one that hadn’t crossed Ryota’s mind. Tsumiki-san started stuttering.

“I-I, uh I… fine, you got me.”

“Wait, if you knew about the, um, second video, then, Enoshima must’ve told you about it. How far did she plan in advance?” Ryota wondered if she planned for his rescue.

“Enoshima-sama has three talents, y’know. The one that got her into Hope’s Peak is The Ultimate Fashionista. Whilst her true talent is The Ultimate Despair.” She paused on the word to ‘savour’ it. “But there’s one more, The Ultimate Analyst and I assure you, your intervention was planned. And she still has many despair filled tricks up her sleeve.” She slammed the door.

Kuzuryu-kun let out a ‘hmph’ before walking away. Pekoyama-san soon followed. “Hey, wait up, we should talk about this.” Nidai-kun took off after him. Leaving Komaeda-kun and himself. They started to leave together.

“This can’t end well. What should we do?” Ryota hadn’t had a chance to talk to him about what they had heard in the maze.

“We should leave this to the adults. They have everything under control.”

“Wh-what? What about what we heard in the maze? If they had everything under control then Ikusaba, Yukizome-sensei and Kamukura would be captured by now. If they had everything under control then none of this would’ve happened.”

“Listen, what I care about is that everyone I care about is safe. If we continue snooping around, my luck will screw us all over. I only helped last time because I owed it to you for saving Nanami-san.” Komaeda-kun’s voice was sharper than he had ever heard it. “If you really want to be part of our class, then you should really start caring about your classmates.”

“I-I’m sorry.” Ryota quietly walked away. He showed up to dinner as everyone was filing in. Kuzuryu-kun stood up to make an announcement.

“I just wanted to tell you about our meeting with Tsumiki-san.”

“Wait, can I say something.”

“Hanamura-kun, I’m sure it can wait. Tsumiki-san info-”

“I’m leaving the school.”

“I told you- What? The fuck did you just say?”

“My Momma, she wants me outta the school. I’m leaving Monday morning.” It was Friday today.

“What? What about your cooking? I don’t think I could live without your meat.” Owari-san yelled.

“As much as that would usually excite me, I can’t even find a joke. My Momma said she wanted me out when she heard the news. ‘A student in class 77-B was tortured? Teruteru, you’re coming home as soon as possible.’ are her exact words.” Tears formed in his eyes. “I was thinking that Sunday evening, I could show off my full cooking ability for you guys.”

“Wait, you may be a pervert, but you’re our pervert. You can’t leave!” Koizumi stood up.

“Please, just don’t tell Nanami-san. I don’t want her to feel guilty.” With that, he stood up and left. Everyone was quiet for a few seconds.

“I-I… I guess I’ll continue.” Kuzuryu-kun told everyone about their meeting with Tsumiki-san. After he finished he walked out, not even eating. Ryota ate quickly before stepping out. Sakakura was there waiting for him.

“Mitarai, could you meet me tomorrow morning in the old gym?” _In the old gym? Does he know about me and Komaeda-kun?_

“Okay, uh, I’ll meet you after I eat.” He nodded and ran off. Ryota left for his room.

**Juzo Sakakura**

Juzo waited in the Gym for Mitarai, he had grabbed a ladder from the gym’s storage room. After a few minutes, he arrived. “So, uh, why did you want me here?” The Boxer had prepared for that question.

“You seem to be the only one I can trust right now.” Juzo stepped over and opened the passage. “Follow me.” He stepped down the staircase, he heard Mitarai walking behind him. He hadn’t used this passage since he had saved Nanami. 

“What are we doing? Why are we taking this staircase?”

“Listen, I will explain everything soon, I just need you now.” When they reached the bottom of the staircase, Juzo turned to the right and started down the hallway. They passed the room where he had stopped Enoshima. He eventually reached the end of the hall with a plain white wall.

“What is this?” Juzo pushed on the wall and it shifted out of the way. It opened into a room with a chair in the middle and windows circling the top. He pointed towards the observing room.

“When I first found this place, I saw someone walking up there with noticeably red hair.”

“Wait, how’d you find this?”

“Ito Kengo, The Ultimate Architect. He figured that the wall was in an unusual place.”

“Why aren’t you telling the police though?”

“If it is Yukizome-sensei, I’m not sure what they’d do. I’d want to talk to her first.” After he said that, Juzo set the ladder against one of the walls and started to climb. When he reached the top, he tried to pry open the window. It didn’t work. “Ah, screw it.” He clenched his fist and smashed the glass.

He climbed in. The room was arranged so desks lined the windows. There was uneaten food around the room. Juzo looked to the corner where he saw someone crouched and trying to hide. He walked up to them. “Sakakura-kun?” Yukizome-san looked up to him. She laughed and wrapped her arms around him. “I missed you, I was afraid that the police would find and arrest me, but, you’ll listen to me, right?” He almost nodded.

“Watch out!” Mitarai’s voice echoed into the room. Juzo snapped back to his senses and pushed Yukizome-san off of him. The knife she was holding fell out of her hands when she hit the wall.

“Oh man, so close.” Her laugh was hoarse. Juzo hadn’t gotten a good look at her until now. Her eyes were sunken and she looked as if she hadn’t eaten in days. He picked her up and started to carry her down the ladder. 

“Where are you taking her?”

“The police. I was hoping that there was some chance that she would be… her, but no, she isn’t.”

**Chiaki Nanami**

It was time for Chiaki to leave. She just had to pass a final test before the doctor would sign off on her release. She just needed to walk across the room with a cain. Her left leg had healed well, but her right foot still hurt whenever she stepped with it. “I’m going to let go now.” 

As the doctor said that, Chiaki felt her weight pile onto her legs. She almost fell but caught herself with the cain. She started to walk. _Left. Right. Left. Right._ Her right foot hurt everytime she set it down but her cain helped brace her. She reached the end of the room after a few seconds and the doctor smiled. “Well, I’m glad to say that you’ll be released today. I’ll get the paperwork sorted and let your friends know, if that’s okay with you.” She nodded. 

The doctor stepped out of her room, only to return a few minutes later. “Everything is sorted. You’ll still need some check-ups and to attend Gekkogahara-san’s therapy on weekdays, but other than that, you’re free to go.” Chiaki started to pack up her things: her GGA, her Games and her hat. She placed the hat on her head and looked at the door. As she did, the class arrived.

“Woah, Chiaki-chan is standing! Ibuki is so happy!” She ran up and hugged Chiaki, almost knocking her down. “I love your hat!”

Everyone else stepped in shortly after. “Hey, I was thinking that you might need some help with those consoles.” Soda-kun motioned to the TV. Chiaki nodded and he started to pick one up. Nidai-kun and Owari-san moved to pick up the rest.

“Wait, where’s Hanamura-kun?” Everyone fell silent.

“He’s preparing for dinner, he wanted to show off his full cooking ability and provide us all with the hope of the Ultimate Chef.” Everyone seemed to nod along with Kuzuryu-kun’s answer but Chiaki could tell they were hiding something. She didn’t bring it up again so she wouldn’t make anyone uncomfortable.

She stepped out into the hall and turned towards the elevator. She thought of the last time she was in an elevator, how betrayed she had felt. As she stepped into the elevator, she froze and started hyperventilating. Komaeda-kun almost hit the button before he turned to her. “Everything okay Nanami-san?” The walls of the elevator were closing in, she tried to step out but ended up just falling backwards. Sonia-san caught her before she hit the ground.

“Would you rather we take the stairs Nanami-san?” Chiaki nodded. She hadn’t tried going up and down stairs during her therapy so she asked Nidai-kun to help her down. He quickly scooped her up in his arms, still carrying the consoles, and walked down the staircase. When they reached the bottom, she was placed down.

When Chiaki stepped outside, the wind felt good on her face, and fresh air had never been more fresh. She had spent longer times indoors without going outside, but, this time it was different. When she was in the Maze, she was afraid she would never be outside again. She hadn’t noticed the tears rolling down her face. “Hey, are you okay?” Pekoyama-san had grabbed her shoulder.

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine.” She rubbed the tears away. “A little hungry though.” Nidai-kun and Soda-kun headed to her dorm to set up her consoles. The others started towards the cafeteria. When she stepped in, she could feel everyone’s eyes on her. Chiaki sat in the corner, usually she ate alone but her class circled around her. Koizumi-san had gone to get some food for her.

Various Ultimates from other classes started to approach her. Some just came to give well wishes and some had prepared gifts. “Yo, uh, I’m Kuwata Leon, the Ultimate Baseball Star, or whatever. My cousin got me this game and since I’ve never played it, and you’re the Ultimate Gamer, and all…” He placed a game down in front of her and walked off. Chiaki looked down to see a copy of Super Mario Sluggers.

Koizumi-san soon came back and handed her some food. She quickly ate and stepped out before more people could come up to her. Chiaki headed to her dorm room where Soda-kun and Nidai-kun were waiting. They had set up the consoles and organised her games. She thanked them and they left, leaving her alone. She looked down to see she was still in her hospital gown, she hadn’t even realized.

As she was changing, she looked in her mirror and touched her left arm. It was the first time she had seen herself since the incident. Her arm had scarred over but still hurt to touch. She had scars all over her body from Enoshima’s cuts. Chiaki finished getting dressed and sat down on her bed. She pulled out her games and her GGA. She placed her games down and pulled one out.

 _Gala Omega… Again?_ She couldn’t bring herself to play it, Chiaki thought about it. It was the game she played with Hinata-kun, only him. She reached up to the pin clipped to her hat. Her classmates would sometimes ask what game it came from but she always avoided the question. She placed the cartridge into her drawer and promised herself that she would never play it until Hinata-kun, or Kamukura, was found.

She played games until five when she heard a knock on her door. She grabbed her cane and opened the door to the Imposter. “Hanamura-kun has prepared dinner for us and he would like you to join.” She nodded and started walking to the cafeteria. “He is holding the dinner in the old cafeteria, for nostalgia.” She turned around and started heading towards the old cafeteria.

When she arrived, Hanamura-kun was waiting there to greet her and the Imposter. He made sure to sit her at the head of the table. Chiaki was about to grab something to eat before he spoke up. “Most of you know why I’m holding this dinner.” He looked like he was about to cry. “But Nanami-san doesn’t. I’m leaving this school. Once my Momma heard the news she called the headmaster and… pulled me out. I’m leaving tomorrow morning.”

Chiaki froze. “W-what?” She hadn’t usually been the target of Hanamura-kun’s lewd comments but if he wasn’t there, something would be missing. _This is my fault, isn’t it?_

“Hey, Nanami-san, this isn’t your fault, okay. It’s that Enoshima’s fault, no one else’s. Now dig in, for all you know, this could be the last meal you ever taste from Teruteru Hanamura, The Ultimate Chef.” Chiaki couldn’t bring herself to eat. Before she knew it, the dinner was over and everyone was wishing him well. He was about to step out of the room before turning back. “Please, come visit sometime.” He stepped out of the room.

**Izuru Kamukura**

He had watched Hanamura’s departure through the camera feed he had hacked. That wasn’t why he was watching though, Nanami’s room hadn’t had a camera. He had seen the doctor watching over her discussing her release date with her therapist. Izuru found it illogical yet he still found himself wanting to see her recovery.

After Yukizome’s arrest, he hadn’t needed to leave his room. He had watched as Sakakura took her quietly off the campus where he lost track of where she had gone. It was clear that the students didn’t know about her capture. Izuru had been providing her with food and water after she had gone into hiding but now that she was out of the equation, he stuck to the cameras, mapping security patrols, analyzing student patterns. But most of all, he watched the Medical Hall.

He could have stopped after he saw her step into the hall but he didn’t. He watched her walk to the elevator before turning to the stairs. He watched her receive gifts from the other Ultimates as she ate. He watched her enter her room. Hope’s Peak had the dignity to not place cameras in the dorm rooms. It was all boring, though not as boring as everything else.

Not even Enoshima’s despair had such an effect on him. There was nothing special nor captivating about her, yet she intrigued him. After their dinner, she helped clean up even though she hadn’t eaten anything. She then returned to her room where Izuru couldn’t keep tabs on her. He closed his laptop and stood up. He opened the passage outside and started to leave. He took the exit into the gym.

He avoided the security patrols that he had mapped. He entered the dorm building and walked to Nanami’s room. _Locked._ He pulled out his lockpick and put his Ultimate Thief skill to use. He unlocked the door and slowly twisted it open. “Who’s there? I thought I locked my do-” She looked up from her game and stopped when she saw him. “I-I… Wh-what do you want?”

"I would like to talk"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have some time off now so I should have more time to work on this.


	5. Transition

**Chiaki Nanami**

“Who’s there? I thought I locked my do-” She looked up from her game. A shadowed figure stood in her doorway. _How is he here? Why is he here?_ “I-I… Wh-what do you want?”

“I would like to talk.” His cold, affirmative voice sounded nothing like Hinata-kun’s quiet and cool one, yet she could still hear him in there. She placed her GGA down on her nightstand and sat up.

“Why?” He moved to her desk and sat on the chair.

“We both have questions that the other could answer.” He brought his knee up, laying his arm across it. “You ask first.”

“I, uh… Where is Ikusaba?” She asked the first question that came to her mind.

“Nowhere you would need to be concerned.” His vague answer left a lot to be desired, but his deadpan tone showed his honesty. “My question, what do you know about me and the Kamukura Izuru Project.”

“Well, the second day after I woke up, the Headmaster came to talk to me. He told me that Hinata-kun wasn’t able to pay for school so he signed up for the Project. That he… was afraid he wouldn’t see me again… if he couldn’t pay.” She paused to catch her breath. “He asked for the talent of the Ultimate Gamer and they gave it to him. They then gave him another and another until there wasn’t room for more. They started cutting out… Hinata-kun until there was none of him left.”

“It doesn’t appear he lied to you, but he didn’t tell you the whole story.” He paused and looked down.

“What is the whole story?” Chiaki eagerly asked before thinking again. “Do I want to know?”

He looked back up to her. “After they had finished, they tried to test my talent. That maze was part of my testing. Enoshima eventually found me with her sister. She gave me the promise of despair and how it helped her with her boredom. Her plan was to convince me with a ‘killing game’. She gathered the student council and forced them to slaughter each other.” The way he said it unnerved Chiaki. 

“B-But the student council is just overseas, I thought…” Chiaki thought of what Enoshima had done to her. “Did the school lie?”

He nodded. “After it finished, there was one survivor, he died trying to attack me. Overall, the student council is dead. It was as boring as all else, she broke her promise. She then stabbed me in the back, framing me for the murder. She sent an incriminating video to the reserve course enraging them. That is what started the ‘Parade’, that’s what the school called it. The school then abandoned the Kamukura Project entirely.” Chiaki didn’t know what to think.

“Is that the whole story?

“It’s all you need to know right now.” He paused “My question is… Who was Hinata Hajime? What was your relationship to him?”

She thought for a second before replying. “He was my first friend and I was his, I think. He was kind and happy. He liked the games I brought him and, uh, he admired Hope’s Peak. He thought that he needed to impress me with talent… His birthday is on the first of January.” Chiaki stopped and looked at the former reserve course student. She waited to see if he was happy with her answer. He nodded. “Why did you want to know?”

“I wanted to know if there was any part of him remaining in me.”

“Is there?” Chiaki quickly asked.

“I believe it’s possible.” He turned to leave.

“Wait, so does that mean he-”

“I do not know.” He quietly stepped out of the room. Chiaki grabbed her cane and moved towards the door. She locked it and sat back on her bed.

_What should I do? Should I tell everyone about this? But if the Student Council thing gets out, what would happen? Would more people get pulled out?_ Chiaki decided that it would be better if she didn’t tell anyone about her meeting. She picked up her GGA and continued playing. The conversation running through her head.

**Leon Kuwata**

After the incident, Class 78 had decided to keep meeting up to ensure their safety. When Leon stepped into the classroom, he took his seat and waited. Once class started he noticed that a few people were missing. Ogami-san, Hagakure-kun, Celeste-san and Yamada-kun didn’t show up. “Hey, uh, where is everyone?”

Hina-san answered him. “Well, Ogami-san told me she was being pulled out by her parents.”

“It is not unlikely that the same could be said for the others.” Ishimaru-kun replied.

“Hey, um, I found this in the dining hall this morning.” Fujisaki-san held up a small slip of paper. She began to read the note. “‘As the Ultimate Clairvoyant, I have decided that I should leave the school. I like some of you guys, so stay safe, okay.’ Is all it says.”

“That doesn’t sound like Hagakure-kun though.” Naegi-kun grabbed the note. “Wait, this doesn’t look like his handwriting.”

“I believe Celeste-san wrote the note.” Kirigiri-san spoke from the corner of the room. “It is something she would do.” Togami-kun let out a ‘hmph’ and stood up.

“It seems that it is useless to keep meeting up like this, I will not be joining you all any longer.” He started walking to the door.

“Hey, where are you going?” Maizono-san stopped him.

“I am leaving because I do not see a point in meeting with you all.” He paused. “I will not require your help, you are all as useless as that Nanami girl.”

“Yo, what the hell Togami-kun?” Leon stood up. “Why would you say that?” He walked up to the heir.

“L-Leave master Byakuya alone.” Fukawa-san shouted.

Togami-kun stepped back. “Just because she couldn’t answer a question, doesn’t mean she’s useless.” Leon had heard about their meeting from Naegi-kun after they got back.

Owada-kun came up behind the heir. “It’s not manly to bully an injured girl.” He cracked his knuckles.

Togami-kun, looking visibly nervous, tried to defend himself. “What I meant was… I… I…”

“Hey, let’s all sit down and talk this out.” Naegi-kun tried to calm them down.

Leon turned to him before sitting back down. Togami-kun took that as a chance to step out of the room. Fukawa-san quickly followed. “I, uh, I’m sorry. Let’s get back to the topic. My family called and wanted me to leave. I convinced them not to pull me out though.”

“Same here.” The Lucky Student replied. “My sister was especially worried.”

“My father is the Headmaster, so not much there for me.” The Detective spoke up.

“Well, my family called to make sure I was okay, but they know I can take care of myself.” Hina-san said happily.

“Same for me.” Fujisaki-san added.

“I, uh, don’t really got any family to call.” Owada-kun sat back down.

“My father is fine with me staying here.” Ishimaru-kun said sternly.

“Yo, Maizono-san, what about you?” Leon looked to the quiet idol.

“Oh, my dad hasn’t called so I don’t really know what to say.” She smiled.

“Well, that’s all of us. I assume the ‘Togami Empire’ wouldn’t pull their son out for any reason. I don’t know much about Fukawa-san but I do know she has a rough family life, so she probably didn’t hear anything.” Kirigiri-san deduced. 

Leon leaned back in his chair. “Wait, Kuwata-kun, what was with that outburst earlier?” Naegi-kun was looking at him.

“Oh, uh, I just… I’m fine with Togami-kun thinking he’s above me, but he talked to Nanami-san, like, once. It just pissed me off.” Naegi-kun nodded.

“Makes sense… That gives me an idea.”

Chiaki Nanami

She woke up the morning after her meeting. Chiaki had her first actual therapy meeting today. She got ready and headed to the dining hall. Kuzuryu-kun had apparently taken up a leadership role while she was recovering. “So, uh, good to see everyone else is still here. Well, other than Hanamura-kun.” He paused. “Nanami-san, I was thinking, should we go back to class today?”

She hadn’t thought about it. He did tell her that they weren’t going to class so they could meet up with her. “I was planning to but you don’t have to come if you don’t feel like it.”

“If Chiaki-chan is going, count Ibuki in!” That was met with unanimous agreement. They ate quickly and started towards the new building. As they passed by the gate, she saw the press and the press saw her. They started shouting her name, trying to get her attention. Chiaki averted her gaze and kept walking.

As they entered the classroom, Chiaki saw their old teacher and talent scout, Kizakura Koichi, sitting at the front. After she heard that Sakakura had found Yukizome-sensei, part of the Gamer had been hoping to see her waiting there for them. “Oh, you all actually came! I’ve been stuck sitting here all week with nothing to do.” He looked at her. “Nanami-san? I didn’t know you were out.”

“Well, I got out yesterday and I spent most of the day resting.” She sat at her desk and placed her cane against the back wall. Mitarai-kun sat at the desk beside hers, leaving only two empty desks. _Hanamura-kun’s and Tsumiki-san’s._

“Honestly, I hadn’t really prepared anything to teach, so just do what you all do.” She pulled out her GGA and started playing. She played and thought about her meeting with Kamukura. Eventually Kizakura came up to her. “Hey, Nanami-san, apparently your, uh, meeting is now.” Chiaki placed her console back in her bag. She grabbed her cane and started towards the door.

“Hey, wait up.” Nidai-kun called out from the back of the class. He stood up and followed her out. “I thought you could use some help on the stairs, since y’know…” Chiaki nodded and he picked her up. She hadn’t tried the elevator again since her first attempt. When they reached the third floor, he placed her down. “Would you like me to wait for you?”

“You really don’t need to. I should be fine, I think.”

“Are you sure?”

“If you’re okay with it, maybe.” The Team Manager nodded. He followed her to the medical room and sat in a chair outside. She stepped into the room where she had stayed. It had been reorganised to look more casual. A couch had been placed against the wall where her bed had been. She sat down and waited.

Right when the clock struck eleven, Gekkogahara rolled in. Her screen turned on to reveal Usami. “Hey there, how have you been holding up?”

“I’m fine, what about you?”

“I am okay! Did you like the game?”

Chiaki nodded. “I assume you want me to continue.”

“If you feel like it.”

She cleared her throat. “So, Yukizome-sensei pushed me into the elevator. The doors closed and it started to descend. After a while, a screen flicked on and Enoshima was there. She said something like ‘It’s Punishment Time!’ and the doors opened. I stepped out into the Maze and started running and there were traps and saws and spikes and-” Chiaki started hyperventilating.

“Hey, hey. It’s okay, you’re okay.” She took a second and caught her breath. “We could stop if you’d like.”

“No… no it’s fine.”

“Okay, just try not to go into as much detail.”

She nodded. “Enoshima’s face was on every monitor and she was taunting me. It hurt to walk but still, I did. Eventually I reached a door with the word ‘goal’ on it. It was my only chance so I turned the handle. There was a spear and it shot out. It almost hit me but Munakata was there and he got hit instead. He fell back and more spears came up. He died. I fell back and started to pass out. Sakakura tried to help me but…”

“Are you done?”

“N-No, sorry. Kamukura came out and threw him aside. He picked me up and I blacked out. I then, uh, I woke up in the chair. Enoshima started cutting my hair and then me.” She grabbed her right wrist. “And she put a spoon to my eye. I passed out and woke up in this room.”

“Okay. It’s good that you can speak about this now, it’s a strong first step. Moving on, have you had any more episodes since our last meeting?”

“Yeah, I’m having problems with elevators, I’ve been taking the stairs.”

“Could you describe those problems?”

“It feels like the walls are closing in and I start feeling a tightness in my chest. I also start breathing too fast.”

“Okay, those sounds more like claustrophobia rather than a trigger.”

“How is that better?”

“Claustrophobia is a lot easier to treat and the symptoms are less severe. Triggers usually lead to flashbacks and outbursts.” After seeing Chiaki calm down, she brought up another point. “You said you were taking the stairs. Your doctor told me that you hadn’t tried stairs when you were recovering. How were you using them?”

“Oh, uh, one of my classmates carried me.”

“Is that the guy outside?” Chiaki nodded. “If you want, we could spend the rest of our time helping you with stairs.”

“That would be nice.” She stood up and they stepped outside. Nidai-kun was still waiting there for her. 

“Hey, we were wondering if you would help with Nanami-san’s therapy, she needs a spotter for the staircase.”

“I wouldn’t be a proper Team Manager if I refused that offer.” He laughed. They spent the rest of their meeting in the stairwell, helping Chiaki train on the stairs. After they finished, she said goodbye to Gekkogahara and left for lunch. They met up with the rest of class 77-B in the dining hall.

“Wow! You can use the stairs now, so cool!” Mioda-san shouted when Nidai-kun told her about it. Chiaki ate quickly and started to make her way back to class.

She stopped when a boy she recognised as Naegi Makoto came up to her. “Hey, Nanami-san! I was hoping you would come with me. I need your help.”

“With what?”

“Could you just come to our class, it’ll be quick, I promise.”

“Oh, uh, sure.” She started following the Lucky Student.

**Ryota Mitarai**

After Nanami-san had left with Nidai-kun, Ryota spent the rest of the time before lunch talking to the Imposter. When the lunch bell rang, he left for the dining hall. There, he saw the Gamer. She ate quickly before leaving. They all sat quietly for a few minutes before Kuzuryu-kun stood up.

“Something’s up.”

“What do you mean?” Sonia-san asked.

“Nanami-san’s been really quiet.”

“Well duh, she just went through… y’know.” Owari-san implied.

“Yeah, I know. But, she was fine when she was in her room. I just noticed that she was really quiet today.”

“Maybe Teru-chan leaving got to her.” Mioda-san offered.

“That’s my best guess. Nidai-kun, did she say anything like that?”

“Huh? Oh, I wasn’t in their meeting, I was just waiting outside.”

“She always tried her best to keep our class together, maybe she feels guilty.” The Imposter finished what he was eating.

“I understand that feeling.” The Yakuza frowned. “When my sister Natsumi was murdered, I felt guilty I wasn’t there to help her. I felt like I failed at my one purpose…”

“Same here. My friend Sato-chan. They never even found her killer.” Mahiru-san started to look at the ground. Kuzuryu-kun shifted uncomfortably.

“You’ve all been through a lot. But, through every hit of despair, your hope shines through.” The Lucky Student spoke. “Nanami-san has always been there for us, even for scum like me. We should be there for her right now.”

“Komaeda-kun almost made sense there. Almost.” Saionji-san piped up.

“Then what are we waiting for, let’s catch up to her.” Ryota stood up. The rest followed him out. They made their way to the elevator. When they stepped into the classroom, she was sitting at her desk.

“Hey Chiaki-chan, why’d you ditch Ibuki back there?” She looked up like she hadn’t noticed them enter.

“Oh, uh, I just ate fast, I guess.” The answer didn’t please Kuzuryu-kun.

“Come on, you’ve been quiet all day, we know something’s wrong.”

“I’ve just been playing a new game, is all.”

“Hey Kuzuryu-kun, it’s okay, she answered.” Koizumi-san grabbed his shoulder.

“No it’s not! It’s, it’s… it’s.” He looked around to everyone else. He averted his eyes. “It’s fine.”

“Hey bud, you okay?” Soda-kun looked into the Yakuza’s eyes.

“I just… I’m just worried. When she was in the maze, I was fuckin’ terrified that we would lose her. And because of that, I tried to step up and take a leadership role. And you always made sure everyone was okay… And well, I failed pretty hard at that, didn’t I?”

“For the record, Ibuki doesn’t think you were too bad.”

“Same here.”

“Yeah, you were pretty good.”

“Really?”

Pekoyama-san walked up to him. She kneeled down and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I, for one, think you’d be a great leader for the Kuzuryu clan.”

“Thanks, I needed that.” He laughed. “Y’know, maybe things will be okay now.” He walked back to his desk and the others followed. After a few minutes, the bell rang signaling the end of lunch. Kizakura soon came back and sat back down at the front. Ryota looked out the window, reflecting on the past week. _It’s not over yet, is it?_

**Leon Kuwata**

Naegi-kun had decided to find Nanami-san and introduce her to everyone left in class 78. Leon quickly ate before heading back to class. He found that he was the first one there. After a while, the Lucky Student walked in with the Gamer trailing behind him.

“Oh, hello. You’re Kuwata Leon, right?” He was surprised she remembered him.

“Yeah, how’d you like the game?”

“I already had a copy, but I liked the gesture.”

“Well, that makes sense. You are the Ultimate Gamer after all.” They talked for a bit before someone else showed up. Fujisaki-san stepped in the door.

“Uh, hey there. I’m Fujisaki Chihiro.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Nanami Chiaki. I really liked your game. You really are the Ultimate Programmer.”

“Oh wow, way to one-up me.” Leon joked.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

“Yo, It’s okay, I was just joking.” The Baseball Star apologized. Owada-kun stepped in the door with Hina-san close behind.

“Hey, I’m Asahina Aoi, the Ultimate Swimmer. But you can call me Hina!”

“Name’s Owada Mondo, the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“I want you to know that if Enoshima ever shows her face here again, she’ll have to go through me.” Owada-kun laughed.

“And that goes double for me.” Hina-san smiled. Another student soon came into the room.

“Hello there, my name is Ishimaru Kiyotaka.” He smiled. “I am known as the Ultimate Moral Compass. I would like to study with you sometime!”

“Th-thank you?” Nanami-san said, confused. Maizono-san and Kirigiri-san stepped in together.

“Hello, I am Maizono Sayaka, the Ultimate Pop Icon.” She quickly sat at her desk.

“I believe we already met.” The Detective said quietly.

“Welp, that’s about everyone!” Naegi-kun said proudly.

“Everyone? That’s only eight people. I thought class 78 had sixteen.”

“Well, uh, a few are missing.”

“As you know, Enoshima is in custody and Ikusaba is missing. As well as four were pulled out due to the incident.” Kirigiri-san told the Gamer.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what? None of this was your fault.” Leon found himself saying.

“But, that’s only six people, what about the other two?”

“Well, you met Togami-kun, right?” Owada-kun replied. “He and his ‘servant’ kinda ditched us.”

“Oh, okay. So why did you want me here?”

“Everyone wanted to meet you so I thought this would be a good time.”

“Well, if that’s all you wanted me for, I should be getting to class.” Everyone wished her well as she left. Afterwards, everyone sat in silence.

**Chiaki Nanami**

The rest of the week went by quickly, to Chiaki, every day felt the same. She woke up and got ready. Then she ate in the dining hall. She went to class. She went to her therapy. Afterwards, she would eat lunch. Then return to class. After school, she would stay in her room, playing games.

Chiaki awoke on Saturday to a knock at her door. She grabbed her cane and opened it to see Mioda-san standing there. “Hey Chiaki-chan! Ibuki was wondering if you’d come to her party tonight?”

“Party?”

“Yeah! Ibuki’s holding a party to celebrate everything being put behind us.” The Musician hopped up and down.

“Um, okay, I’ll be free tonight… I think.”

“Yay! This is going to be so much fun!” She turned down the hall and started walking. Chiaki closed her door. She checked the time. _Six? Really?_ She shrugged and sat at her desk. She turned on her PC and launched a game she’d been playing. She played for a few hours before she looked at the clock. She stood up and headed to the dining hall.

The first thing she noticed was that Mioda-san was missing. Chiaki sat down and started to eat. Kuzuryu-kun spoke up like usual. “So, did Mioda-san wake anyone else up about a ‘party’?” Everyone nodded in agreement. “Well, she’s probably off preparing then.”

“That jerk, doesn’t she know I need my beauty sleep.” Saionji-san complained.

“That mortal dared awake the Four Dark Devas of Destruction. She was lucky they were feeling merciful.” Tanaka-kun exclaimed.

“So, what do you think this party is about?” Koizumi-san asked.

“She told me it was to celebrate everything being behind us, I think.”

“Are we sure about that though?” Chiaki turned to Mitarai-kun who was sitting away from everyone else. “Are we sure it’s all behind us?”

“The fuck do you mean?” The Yakuza shouted. “Of course it’s all behind us.”

“Sorry, it’s just, Ikusaba is still out there. Who knows what she is planning.”

“Way to ruin the mood.” Owari-san grumbled.

“Just, forget I said anything.” The Animator stood up. “Maybe I’m just upset that I wasn’t even invited.” He walked out of the dining hall.

“Wait…” Chiaki tried to tell him, but he was already gone. “Why wasn’t he invited?”

“Hey, Nanami-san, it’s alright. The cloud of despair has passed, now everyone’s hope can shine through.”

“Not now Komaeda-kun.” She stood up to follow him.

“Wait, let me go. I wouldn’t want you to trouble yourself.” The Lucky Student stood up and walked out.

“He’s never been that direct.” The Imposter noted.

“I hope Komaeda-kun’s right…” Owari-san paused. “About the whole despair passing thing.”

“He is, don’t worry.” Chiaki tried to reassure her. Even if she wasn’t sure herself. The rest ate quietly and left one by one. When she stood to leave, someone grabbed her hand.

“Wait, Nanami-san.” Soda-kun looked up to her. “Could you, uh, meet me at the fountain?”

“Oh, um, sure.” She walked out. _The fountain? Why the fountain? It’s where I always met with Hinata-kun. Does he know about Kamukura?_ She started towards the courtyard. She sat on the edge, waiting for the Mechanic. She pulled out her GGA. Memories of her playing with Hinata-kun brought tears to her eyes. She wiped them away before anyone saw.

Eventually, he showed up wearing a pair of sunglasses. He sat next to her, and took them off. “So, uh, Mitarai-kun wanted me to give these to you.” He handed the glasses to her.

“Why? I don’t even wear sunglasses.”

“Basically, the dude’s paranoid. He wouldn’t shut up about me making these, so I did. And now he wants me to give them to you. So, here you go.”

“What do they do?”

“Well, they can detect if Mitarai-kun’s brainwashing stuff is going on. If they do, they’ll dim the lenses leaving you safe. I don’t know why he thinks you need these, but I guess they’d be useful.” He stood up and started walking to the school.

“See you at the party… I guess.”

“Yeah, see you there.”

Chiaki grabbed her cane and stood up. _He’s right, isn’t he? This isn’t over yet._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to show some more of class 78 this chapter and the effects on their class.


	6. Rewind

**Chiaki Nanami**

Chiaki stepped into her dorm. She sat at her desk and turned on her computer. She tried to open a game but she felt herself drifting off. Closing her eyes, she rested her head on the keyboard and fell asleep.

Around Two Years Ago

Chiaki was sitting on her couch holding the controller for her PlaySystem 3. She had just picked up a copy of Uncharted 2. She didn’t really care for game reviews but even she was impressed by it’s acclaim. As she was about to hit play, a knock came from the door. She was home alone, like usual, so she went to open the door. A man in a white suit and bowler cap was waiting there, he looked vaguely familiar. “Um, are you here to sell something? We’re not buying anything, I think.”

“Nah, I’m here to talk to you about school.” He tried to step in. Chiaki pushed him back.

“Who are you? I’m not going to let a stranger into my house.” 

“Ah, my name is Koichi Kizakura…” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a letter, handing it to her. “The talent scout for Hope’s Peak Academy.” The note was sealed with wax, stamped with the insignia of the Academy. She tore open the envelope.

“Wh-what?” She let out as she scanned the invitation. _Nanami Chiaki, Hope’s Peak Academy would like to invite you to attend the Main Course. You would gain the title of the ‘Ultimate Gamer’ and be a part of the 77th class._ She took a second to process the letter. “Ultimate Gamer?”

“Yep, the Academy’s first.”

“But how is gaming even a talent? It’s just my hobby.”

“Before I answer that, can I come in?” She was too amazed to even stop him. He sat on the couch and looked at her consoles. “We tried contacting your family but never got any response. That’s why I’m here.”

“You haven’t answered my question though.”

“How is it a talent… As you know, most arcades across Japan have had a single name at the top, some even lasting for years.” He paused. “N-A-N.”

“How’d you find me?”

“Simple, I mapped out the arcades with ‘NAN’ and the most prominent place was here in Osaka. I then held a tournament in the city with a one million yen prize. I knew the future Ultimate Gamer couldn’t resist.”

“No, that’s wrong. I play tournaments because I love the games, not the money.” She remembered why he was familiar, he was the announcer for a tournament a few weeks back. “You just got lucky, I think.”

“Well, I was an Ultimate Lucky Student.” He grinned. “When I saw Nanami Chiaki on the leaderboard, I had my suspicions. You won with more than a thousand points ahead of the second placer. That’s when I knew I’d found you.”

“But that doesn’t answer my question, why is gaming a talent that Hope’s Peak even wants?”

“Beats me, we have an Ultimate Princess coming into Class 77. How is that a talent?” _Princess? Nevermind, it’s not important._ “You said earlier that gaming is just your hobby, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Listen kid,” He gestured to the consoles lined up in and around her TV stand. “If this is what you call a hobby…” He paused. She braced herself for an insult. Like the ones she had always received from the kids at school. “Then you’d be perfect for Hope’s Peak. The amount of people who force themselves into a talent, just to get into the Academy, is unnerving. Talent is something that comes naturally to a person, it isn’t artificial. If someone truly enjoys what they do, like you, they deserve to be at the Academy.”

“I… I accept.”

“Woah, slow down kid. There’s one last test.” He smiled. “Prove that you can beat me in a game of your choice.”

“Okay!” Chiaki’s eyes lit up. No one had really ever asked to play a game with Chiaki. She ran to her shelf and picked out Super Smash Bros Brawl. She kneeled down and started moving around some cables.

After a minute, she sat back on the couch and handed the Talent Scout a Gamesquare controller. The fight only lasted a few seconds, he clearly had never played before. He laughed. “Rematch?”

They played for an hour, he never beat her but they both clearly had fun. He eventually stood up to leave. “Well, Nanami-san, I’m excited to see you at Hope’s Peak.” He smiled and stepped out the door. After he left, she switched back her cables and booted up Uncharted 2.

A Few Days Later

Chiaki sat in the back of the classroom, playing a game on her PsP. Although she played games throughout her classes, she wasn’t necessarily a bad student, getting average marks. She hadn’t told anyone about her meeting with Kizakura. 

The thought of Hope’s Peak circled around in her head. _Anyone who goes to the Academy is guaranteed success in the future. So why am I so nervous? I still have five months until the end of the year. So why am I still thinking about this._ A hand slamming down on her desk broke her train of thought.

“Think you’re so much better than us, huh?” Naomi-chan said in her usual sharp tone. She was the only person who bothered to talk to Chiaki anymore.

“What?”

“Playing dumb, are we? Well, not ‘playing’ for you.” She giggled. After seeing that Chiaki was still confused, she elaborated. “How could an airhead like you even get accepted?”

“Accepted? What are you-” She cut her off.

“Hope’s Peak, you idiot.”

“Hope’s Peak?”

“I follow some online chat rooms about Hope’s Peak. They like to discuss the classes of the next year. Rumors are going around of a supposed Ultimate Gamer. A girl who’s left her records all across Japan. There’s one person I know of that fits that criteria.”

“I, um…”

“Remember the school trip to Tokyo? Remember how every machine in that arcade had ‘NAN’ set as the top record by the time we left?”

“Okay… It’s me…”

“Ha! I knew it.” She grinned mischievously and skipped off. Chiaki played until the lunch bell rang out.

In the dining hall, a kid came up to her and sat down, they started eating. Chiaki usually ate alone so she wasn’t sure what to say. She decided to just keep eating. After he finished, the kid spoke up. “So, uh, you have a contact, right?”

“Contact?”

“At Hope’s Peak. Could you put in a good word for me?”

“I, um, who are you?” He looked offended.

“Hiromasa Shinichi! But please, call me Hiro.” He smirked.

“What’s your talent?”

“Well, I’m the future Ultimate Director. Listen, I just need you to talk to whoever scouted you. Let ‘em know I’m waiting for my invitation.” He gave her a cocky smirk.

“I don’t think you’d get accepted.”

“What? Why?” He sounded angry.

“They only accept people who do it for themselves. Not those who do it just to get into Hope’s Peak… I think.”

“I-I… But… Just shut up, okay.” He stood up and stormed off.

Lunch came to an end and Chiaki started back towards her class. She noticed that as she walked through the hall, people turned and started whispering. As she got to class, her teacher even congratulated her. _Geez, how fast did this spread._ She thought as she sat down. The Gamer pulled out her PsP and sat through class.

As the school day came to an end, Chiaki stood up and walked out into the hall. The whispers had stopped, everyone just stared. She kept her eyes glued to her game. She could feel their gaze burning into the back of her head. As the Gamer stepped outside, she could feel droplets of rain beading down against the back of her head.

As Chiaki stepped out of view of the school, what felt like a truck smashed into her gut. She fell to her back, winded. She heard the sound of her console landing on the ground beside her. As she caught her breath, she looked up to see the self-proclaimed Ultimate Director standing over her. “I’ll show you who’s not getting accepted.” He laughed and picked up the console beside her. She tried to say ‘no’ but all that came out was a wheeze. He threw the console into the street.

The wannabe Director ran off laughing, leaving Chiaki alone in the mud. After what felt like an hour, she found her strength and pushed herself to her feet. She limped over to where he had tossed her PsP. Smashed to pieces. She scooped up what was left and limped home. The Gamer changed out of her wet and muddy clothes and went to bed.

Her First Day

Chiaki had finished moving in her consoles. The Gamer got ready and grabbed her GGA. She walked towards the tall brick building. When she stepped into the classroom, she surveyed the other students. There was a girl with long blonde hair and a fancy dress, a red-haired girl with a camera around her neck and a blonde kid wearing a midnight black suit.

She quickly took a seat at the back, she plugged her console in and kept her eyes glued to the screen. She barely paid attention to the people walking in after her. “What are you playing?” Chiaki turned to see the blonde girl looking over her shoulder.

“Oh, uh, it’s Mario Bros 3, it’s one of the best 2D platformers.”

“Nice to meet you, my name is Sonia Nevermind.” Her accent was foreign.

“I’m Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer… I guess. What’s your talent?”

“Oh right, I am the Ultimate Princess. I come from Novoselic.” _Princess?_ She remembered Kizakura saying something like that. And even so, just looking at her, she could tell she was a princess. “For the Ultimate Gamer to say it’s the best, it must be ‘totes’ great. I would like to play it.”

“Really!?”

“Maybe we could ‘hang out’ sometime.” As she said that, a short kid wearing what looked like a chef’s hat walked up to them.

“Hello there ladies, my name is Teruteru Hanamura, the Ultimate Cook. But please, call me the Ultimate Chef. I require your assistance with something.”

“With what?” The Princess asked.

“You see, I’ve got a deadly poison swirling in my loins. The only way to safely remove it is for someone to suck it out. I was wondering if you could assist me?” Sonia-san thought for a second before moving to bend down. Chiaki quickly grabbed her shoulder, shaking her head. “Aw man, so close.” The Chef frowned.

“Beat it perv, unless you wanna get whacked.” The blonde kid in the suit had walked up behind him. Hanamura-kun quickly moved to sit down. “Now, don’t take this the wrong way but, I figured it’s best if I introduced myself. The name’s Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu.” After seeing Chiaki’s worried look, he continued. “Yeah, that’s right, I’m from the Kuzuryu clan.” He smirked.

“The Kuzuryu Clan?” The foreigner asked. “As in the Yakuza group?”

“Yep, I’m known as the Ultimate Yakuza.”

“Oh, wow! I’m a big fan!”

“Fan? The hell do you mean fan?” Before the Princess could answer, a flash went off. The girl with short red hair smiled at them. “Did… Did you just take my picture?” Kuzuryu-kun asked angrily.

The girl laughed. “I just wanted pictures of my classmates on the first day.”

“Why didn’t you just ask us though?” Chiaki pondered.

“I prefer candid photos, the emotion shown is always real that way.” She smiled.

“Is it safe to assume you are the Ultimate Photographer then?”

“Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner.” Sonia-san laughed politely and she snapped another photo. “My name is Mahiru Koizumi, by the way. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.” Chiaki smiled. The Photographer and Yakuza both walked off. A kid wearing a yellow-green jumpsuit moved up to them.

“Hey there, the name’s Kazuichi Soda. I’m the Ultimate Mechanic, nice to meetcha!”

“Nice to ‘meetcha’ too. I am Sonia Nevermind, the Ultimate Princess.” She smiled.

“Princess? I am sorry for the way I addressed you, your majesty.” He kneeled down and clasped his hands together.

She sighed. “Please, do not refer to me by my title, I am here to be a student and friend to you all.”

He stood right back up. “Right, sorry, Miss Sonia. I promise to make a great friend to you.” She sighed again.

A black haired boy wearing a purple scarf and many accessories walked up to them. “Come any closer and an unending curse shall be placed upon you.”

“But, you walked up to us…” Chiaki said under her breath.

Ignoring her, he continued. “Hear my name, and hear it well, for if you forget it when I rule the world, it shall spell your end.” He laughed. “I am Tanaka, the Forbidden One, the Supreme Overlord of Ice and the Ultimate Breeder!”

“Breeder?” The Mechanic asked. Four hamsters crawled out of Tanaka-kun’s scarf and he held them up.

“These are the Four Dark Devas of Destruction!”

“I see, I shall praise them as such.” The Princess stepped forward to pet one. Tanaka turned a bright pink and pulled his scarf up to hide his face.

“They are not to be pet…” He mumbled. “They will bring destruction to this world, just you wait.” With that, he turned and walked away. The Princess followed him. The Mechanic followed her.

“Get a load of that guy.” A short girl with twintails had appeared behind her. “I am Hiyoko Saionji, the Ultimate Traditional Dancer.”

“Aren’t you a little young?” Chiaki asked.

“Shut up you stupid gamer, we’re the same age.” She snapped. Before she could continue, a girl with purple hair and an apron walked over to them. As she reached them, she bumped into the dancer and they both fell. The purple haired girl got her leg stuck around Chiaki’s charger, exposing herself to the whole class.

“Ahh, I-I’m s-sorry, please forgive m-me.”

“No way, you slutty pig-barf.”

“Eek, I-I am a s-slutty pig-barf.” Chiaki helped the girl untie herself and stood her up. “I am M-Mikan Tsumiki, th-the Ultimate N-Nurse.” She quickly walked away, only to trip again. Saionji quickly followed her away.

A girl with long dyed hair ran up to Chiaki. “Gooood Nom-nom-noming!” She yelled at the top of her lungs. “‘Ibu’, ‘Ki’, ‘Mio’, ‘Da’! That’s my name! Ibuki Mioda, the Ultimate Musician!”

“Nice to meet you?” It came out more like a question rather than a response.

“Ibuki thinks so too! Ibuki can’t wait to make friends with everyone!” She skipped off without a care.

A massive man with chains around his neck took a seat to Chiaki’s right. “Hello! I am NEKOMARU NIDAI! The Ultimate Team Manager!”

“Nice to meet you…” Chiaki replied after her ears stopped ringing.

“Your voice is weak, try again!”

“Nice to meet you, I am Chiaki Nanami.”

“Again!”

“My name is Chiaki Nanami, I am the Ultimate Gamer!”

“Good!” 

“Okay…” Chiaki stood up to introduce herself to her last few classmates. She walked up to a tanned girl who was showing an uncomfortable amount of cleavage. “Hello there, I’m Chiaki Nanami.”

“You got food?”

“Um… no, I don’t?”

“Aw man, okay. My name is Akane Owari, the Ultimate Gymnast.”

“Well then, nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meetcha, Nalani.”

“Sorry but it’s Nanami. Chiaki Nanami.”

“Ain’t that what I said?”

Chiaki sighed and started talking to the next person. A tall woman with long silver hair and piercing red eyes, sporting a sword bag on her back. “H-Hello there…” She said nervously.

“Would you like an introduction?” She nodded. “Understood. My name is Peko Pekoyama, the Ultimate Swordswoman.”

Chiaki hummed for a second before asking her a question. “Is that a real sword in there?”

She reached to her back and pulled out a bamboo sword. “It is just a training sword. I doubt the academy would be pleased with me bringing my real sword into class.”

“That makes sense. It was nice meeting you.”

“Good meeting you too.”

She turned to the last person she hadn’t met. He was leaning back in his chair, smiling, while looking around the room. “Hello there, I am Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer.”

“Ah,” He shifted his gaze over to her. “You shouldn’t bother yourself with scum like me…” He laughed to himself.

“Could you at least tell me your name?” Chiaki asked, concerned.

“I am Nagito Komaeda, my talent is really disappointing though…”

“What is it?”

“...I’m lucky.” He paused and studied har face. “Yep, I’m the Ultimate Lucky Student this year.”

“But that’s not disappointing.”

“But for a talentless scum like me, to be considered equal to all of you… To all of your hope… Is wrong.”

“I-”

“I tried to refuse but they insisted I come because they wanted to study my luck. And I figured that if I was here, I could observe your hope in its purest form. Please, do not bother yourself with me.”

Chiaki walked away, her head spinning. She sat down at her desk and grabbed her GGA. As she played, she went over everyone's names in her head. After a few minutes, Kizakura stepped into the classroom. “Hey everybody, please take a seat. My name is Koichi Kizakura, and I will be your teacher.”

“Hey, n-not to b-be a bother, b-but…” Tsumiki-san stuttered. “...There are t-two empty desks, are p-people missing on the f-first day?”

Chiaki looked up to see the desks both in front of her and to her left were empty. “Ah, the first was supposed to belong to the Ultimate Imposter, but they declined the invitation. The other however, belongs to Mitari Ryota, the Ultimate Animator.”

“S-So where is he?”

“Well, since class here is optional, he is likely off doing whatever he wants…”

“Wait, class here is optional?” Owari-san asked.

“Yeah, we allow students to hone their talents outside of the classroom.”

“Well, seeya then.” The Gymnast stood up and dashed out the door.

“Yeah, if you don't mind, I’m gonna bounce.” Soda-kun followed her out the door.

“I need to go too! I really need to take a SHIT!” Nidai-kun screamed.

“Ibuki’s going to practice!”

“I shall leave too, I don’t see why I would be needed.” Pekoyama-san announced.

“I’ll go ‘investigate’ the bathhouse, if ya know what I mean.” The Chef scurried out.

“The Four Dark Devas require a meal, so I shall follow their command.”

“I mean, I guess I could play on my home consoles.” Chiaki found herself looking up from her game. She walked to the door and grabbed the handle.

“I’m leaving too.” She turned back to see the Lucky Student following her out. They walked together down the hallway. “Y’know, you were the only person to talk to me.” They reached the elevator, just to see an out of order sign taped to the door. “Heh, just my luck.”

They turned to the staircase. “I thought you said you were lucky?”

Laying on the ground in the stairwell was a ten thousand yen note. “It comes in waves.” He reached down and passed the note to her. “Me and my parents went on a family vacation once. When the vacation ended, we boarded an airplane leaving from the airport. However, the plane ended up being hijacked. Both the hijacker and my parents were killed in front of me after a small meteor crashed into the airplane, leaving me to inherit all of their money. I became free to do whatever I wished, as I have no other living relatives.”

“I’m sorry, I had no idea.”

“After my parent's deaths, during middle school, I was kidnapped by a serial killer. I was released after the police found him. As a form of good luck, I discovered a lottery ticket in the garbage bag the murderer kidnapped me in. It won for three million yen.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m sorry, listening to me ramble must be boring. You wouldn’t care about scum like me.”

“I do though.”

“Huh?”

“I was really nervous going in today, but after meeting everyone, I feel like I’m in the right place… And that includes you.”

“I told you that I came with you because you were the only one who talked to me… That was a lie. When you talked to me, I could sense the hope shining off of you. I can already tell that you will make an amazing student of Hope’s Peak.” He smiled and they parted ways. His speech was almost comforting.

His Last Day

Chiaki sat next to the anxious reserve course student. He seemed shaken up about something. “Hey, Hinata-kun, is everything okay?”

“I guess, why do you ask?”

“Oh, it’s just, you knew Kuzuryu-kun’s sister, right?… I just thought, y’know, you’d be upset about that.”

“Hey, Nanami, you’ve really changed…” He paused for a second as he clicked away at his GGA. “Ever since you became your class rep, you’ve been more open… And you always take care of everyone else before you even think about yourself.”

“What do you mean?”

“If something happens to me, like I disappear for a while, or something… What would you do?”

“Why would you disappear?”

“It’s a hypothetical question.”

Chiaki thought for a second before answering. “I’d look for you… And I’d keep looking until I found you.”

He sighed. “Well… As I was saying, you always ask about me and you never talk about yourself anymore. If anything is bothering you, please, tell me.”

“I mean, there's not really anything…” Chiaki paused. “Maybe..?” She cut herself off. “No, it’s nothing.”

“What is it?”

“It’s just, you always used to go on about how much you wanted a talent. But, recently you haven’t said anything like that. And that feels like it should be a good thing but…” She looked up from her game and met his eyes. “Something feels… Off.” She sighed. “Like I said, it’s nothing.”

They sat in silence for a while before he tried to reply. “Nanami, I-” He was interrupted by Chiaki placing her head against his shoulder. “Oh, uh, Nanami?” 

“Hinata-kun, can we stay like this?” He placed his console aside and wrapped his arm around her. She found herself clinging to his shirt as if he’d disappear if she let go. After a while, he said he needed to go. She started walking with him until they had to part ways. “See you tomorrow Hinata-kun.”

He turned back to her wearing one of his rare smiles. From the distance, she couldn’t tell if it was a bitter or genuine one. “Yeah… see you tomorrow.” A nearly unnoticeable waver in his voice.

Chiaki turned to the gate to the main campus. She nodded to the security guard and stepped through. She turned the handle to the dorm building. It opened to a long rustic hallway. She tried to turn back, only to find the walls of an elevator.

She started running down the hallway. Traps springing up everywhere. A blonde girl on the screens laughing and taunting her. A saw popped up and tore through her arm. She screamed. She had to keep going though, if she didn’t, she would never see her friends again.

She clutched her arm and kept running. She accidentally stepped on a pressure pad and spikes shot up, catching her right foot. She pulled it up and started limping. An iron ball shot out, hitting her forehead. Her blood seeping into her eye. The girl starts a countdown saying she’d be safe for ten seconds.

“10!” She starts counting, Chiaki started to limp faster. “9!” _I’ve got to save everyone._ “8!” _I can’t let her win._ “7!” _Come on… I can’t let her hurt them…_ A spear shot up, slicing through her left knee. “Oops, I got bored.” The Gamer used all of her strength to keep walking. The girl then disappeared and the traps seemed to stop. She sees through her blurred vision a door saying GOAL. She reaches and opens it. No one was there. A spear shot out cutting straight through her chest. Everything went black.

Chiaki woke up in a cold sweat, her head on her desk. The ghost of her injuries, searing through her. She looked to the clock. _Three?_ She picked up her cane and walked to her bed. The Gamer grabbed her closet handle and pulled it open, looking over her clothes. She had a party to prepare for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve always felt like the Danaganronpa world pre-tragedy was rather undeveloped so I wanted to show some of that now.


	7. Break

**Chiaki Nanami**

Chiaki got on her navy blue hoodie and opened her pink backpack. She placed her GGA into the bag and slid in some of her games. A knock at her door let her know it was time for the party. She opened the door to Sonia-san wearing a turquoise dress and her hair braided. “Hello Nanami-san, since you didn’t show up to lunch, I was told to come give you the ‘deets’.”

“Oh, sorry about that, I… just got caught up in my game.” The Princess didn’t seem to catch her lie. They stepped outside together, the evening sky overcast with rain clouds.

“‘No problem’ as they say. Mioda-san managed to get permission to use the old gym.”

“Jeez, she really put a lot of effort into this. Let’s get going, I wouldn’t want to be late.” The two girls started walking towards the old building. “I like your dress… I think.”

“I enjoy your outfit as well.” Chiaki instinctively looked down to her cream skirt.

“It’s nothing really… I mean, the most formal thing I own is my school uniform and it’s still completely trashed.”

“They haven’t gotten you a new one?”

“No… But I guess they are busy with other things.” As they walked through the doors, they could already hear the music emanating from the gym. They stepped into the room, they could tell it had been completely renovated for the party. The bleachers were pulled back and tables were set up with food and drinks.

“Chiaki-chan? Sonia-chan?” Mioda-san called out from the stage. “Ibuki was just warming up!” She hopped down and ran up to them. “So, what do ya think?”

“How long did this take to set up?” Chiaki asked.

“Ibuki has been working since last night! Ibuki really wants everyone to like this!”

“I’m sure everyone will.”

“Thanks Chiaki-chan, you always know what to say.”

“Hey everyone…” They turned to see Naegi-kun standing in the doorway.

After seeing the Gamer’s confused expression Mioda-san explained. “Oh right! Ibuki didn’t tell Chiaki-chan… She decided to invite class 78 too!”

“Hey there, nice to meet you.” He bowed slightly towards Sonia-san. “I’m Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky Student.”

“My name is Sonia Nevermind… I’m the Ultimate Princess.”

“Princess? I, uh, wow.” He stammered, turning a light red.

She sighed. “I wish to be treated as an equal to you. I already have enough people in my class trying to impress me by bowing down.”

“S-sorry, I hope we can be friends.” After a few seconds, she laughed. Chiaki turned to the musician.

“I’ve had something I’ve been meaning to ask you.” Mioda-san gave her a nod of acknowledgement. “I was wondering why you didn’t invite Mitarai-kun.”

“Ibuki didn’t invite Ryota-chan? Ibuki asked everyone, he was the only one to decline.”

“He declined? Then why’d he say he wasn’t invited?”

“I think I have an answer.” Chiaki turned around to see Komaeda-kun standing behind her. “You see, he told me parties weren’t really his thing… And he likely didn’t want to hurt everyone’s feelings.”

“Huh? Ibuki thinks that makes sense!” The Musician bounced. “Ibuki should get back on stage, everyone’s starting to show up!” She skipped off.

Chiaki looked around the room to see a mix of class 77-B and class 78 walking in. “Yo Nanami-san!” Kuwata-kun ran up to her. “I’m glad to see you here.”

“Kuwata-kun? I mean, I’m glad too but… Why?”

“Well, I guess it makes me feel better… This party’s for putting everything behind us, y’know. So if you’re here, then that means you’re putting this behind you too. Right?”

“Yeah… I guess so.” She nodded. A large gasp came from the door causing Chiaki to turn around.

“Huh?” The Baseball Player let out. Standing in the doorway was the Ultimate Affluent Progeny. “Togami-kun? How’d you get so fat?” After hearing that, Chiaki realised what had happened. The Heir’s Imposter walked up to them. “Jeez man, it’s been a week… Now you look like Yamada-kun.”

“Heh, I may look like the Togami heir… Yet I am not.” A look of confusion spread across Kuwata-kun’s face. “I am just a member of class 77-B… the Ultimate Imposter.”

“What do you mean?” He fished through his pocket and pulled out his E-Handbook. He typed in ‘Class 77-B’ and scrolled through the class list. “Yeah… There’s no Ultimate Imposter in here… Unless…” He tapped on the image of the Imposter disguised as Mitarai-kun. “Did you… sneak into the school?”

“Not necessarily… Me and Mitarai-kun came to an agreement. I would go to school for him and he would get to stay home and animate.”

“Wait… Mitarai? Wasn’t he the one who saved you?” He turned to Chiaki.

“Well… Yeah, I guess… But so did Sakakura and… Munakata.”

“Yeah… Sorry.” The Baseball Player looked down. “I… I should go…” He said, walking off.

“Hey… Why are you wearing a disguise?” Chiaki asked the Imposter.

He thought for a second. “I guess… I guess I just feel more comfortable in a disguise… And since Mitarai is coming to class now, I believe I shouldn't act as him.”

“Well, that makes sense… I think.”

“I’m going to head over to the snack table… I’ll see you around.” He walked over and started eating. Chiaki walked to the side of the room and sat down in a chair. She pulled out her GGA and started playing a game.

**Leon Kuwata**

Leon stood listening to the Musician playing. He was still undecided on whether he wanted to become a Musician or stay a Baseball Player. “She’s really great, don’t you think?”

He hadn’t noticed Maizono-san standing next to him. “Oh… Yeah. She is the Ultimate Musician after all…”

She pouted. “Hey, don’t look so sad Kuwata-kun. You wanna be a Musician too, right?”

“Yeah… I guess. Why?”

“Then why don’t you talk to her, she could probably help you.”

“Yeah, you’re right…” They were quiet for a second. “If you don’t mind me asking, why aren’t you off with Naegi-kun? Aren’t you guys a thing?”

She giggled. “Nope! He’s just my friend. He’s way too oblivious for me anyway.” The Idol said with a sly grin. “Plus, my contract says I’m not allowed to have a boyfriend. Stupid contract.”

“What do you mean by ‘oblivious’?” He asked.

“Oh… You know what I-” Before she could finish, a massive pair of arms wrapped around Leon, hoisting him into the air.

“LEON!” The massive figure bellowed. When he was placed back on the ground, he locked eyes with the man.

“Yo! Coach Nekomaru! It’s been a while!” Nekomaru was one of the few reasons Leon still had an attachment to Baseball.

“It sure has!” He eyed up the Baseball Star. “You’ve been skimping on your diet, haven’t you? Come with me.”

He looked back to the shakened Pop Star and mouthed ‘sorry’. The Coach wrapped his arm around Leon and guided him to the food table. Hina-san, the Fake Togami and a well-endowed girl wearing a white button up were already there. “Hey Akane! Come over here!”

“Eh? One sec.” She picked up a plate and ate everything off of it before Leon could blink. “Yeah Coach Nekomaru?”

“Akane, this is Leon Kuwata! He is one of the kids I used to coach… Leon, this is Akane Owari! She is a current classmate of mine and my sparring partner.”

“One of Nekomaru’s old athletes? Prepare yourself, I won’t go easy on ya!”

“What!? No! Wait!” It was too late. She jumped back and started running towards him. The gymnast spun around bringing her foot up. It was a foot away from Leon’s face when Nekomaru caught it.

“Mioda-san asked us not to spar tonight, remember?” He said, bringing her foot to the ground.

“Aw man! I’ve just got a lot of stress right now that I need to get out.”

“If you’re stressed out, we could always do ‘It’.” Her eyes lit up. “Hey Leon-kun, if anyone asks for us, we’re just in the equipment closet doing ‘It’.” She grabbed his arm and ran across the gym.

Leon walked up to the closest member of class 77-B, the Imposter. “Yo, uh, second Togami. You got any clue what ‘It’ means?” He looked up from his plate of food.

“I haven’t the faintest idea.” He said sarcastically.

“Wow, you’re a really good Imposter. You already got his tone down and everything.”

“Huh?” Hina-san gave him a puzzled look. “Second Togami? Imposter? What are you talking about?”

The Imposter sighed. “Yes, that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I am not your Byakuya Togami.”

“Wait? Then are you like his brother or something?”

“I… I can’t be bothered with this.” He stormed away.

“Jeez, he’s just like his brother.”

“I, uh… I’m gonna go too.”

Leon looked around for Maizono-san he couldn’t see her anywhere in the gym. He decided to go talk to Owada-kun and Fujisaki-san, the two people in his class that he was the closest with.

They were both sitting at a makeshift poker table. Sitting around them were Ishimaru-kun, a short blonde kid and a kid with spiky white hair. “This is an odd crowd.” He said as he walked up to them.

“Hey, Kuwata-kun!” The small programmer said with a smile.

“Hey dude, check this out.” Owada-kun pointed to the Moral Compass. “Look who we managed to get playing.”

“I will again remind you that I am not playing. I am simply the dealer. Underaged gambling is a crime and I am making sure nobody gets scammed.”

“Heh, yeah, okay bro.”

The white haired boy spoke up. “Why don’t you take a seat, it would be a pleasure to play with another Ultimate student.”

“Oh, sure, I’ll play.” He fished into his wallet. “Buy me in.”

Leon sat down and Ishimaru-kun dealt out the cards. He looked at his hand. _Ace of Hearts and Ace of Clubs._ He had a strong enough poker face to hide his excitement. He looked to his left and saw the blonde kid without any cards. “Wait, are you not playing?”

“Nah, I’m not an idiot.” He gave a grin. “The first thing about being a Yakuza is don’t get stuck doing anything stupid. And I’m not stupid enough to play with Komaeda-kun.”

“Yeah, okay.” Leon was the big blind, with Owada-kun being the small blind. Everyone called up. Ishimaru-kun laid out the flop. _Jack of Spades, Two of Hearts and Ace of Diamonds._ Leon now had a set of aces, trying to keep calm. He bet five hundred chips.

Owada-kun and Fujisaki-san both folded, leaving just Leon and Komaeda in the hand. His opponent was quiet for a second. “Call.” Ishimaru-kun laid out the turn. _Ten of Spades._ The other gambler grabbed a pile of chips. “Bet a thousand.” Leon ran over the possibilities in his head. He had learned some poker tips from Celeste-san.

He couldn’t have a straight, which beats me… He realised that everyone was waiting for him. I’ll… “Call.” The dealer pulled out the river card. _Ace of Spades._ Without thinking, Leon grabbed his chips. “All in!” His opponent just smirked.

“Call.” They both revealed their cards. Leon's hope turned to despair as he saw the other’s cards. _Queen and King of Spades._

“Let’s see. Kuwata-kun has Quad Aces with a Jack kicker. Komaeda-kun has a Royal Flush. Komaeda-kun wins the pot.”

“Wh-wh-wh-wh-what!?” Leon blurted out. “This is stupid! Stupid stupid stupid!”

“Kuwata-kun, please calm down.” The programmer looked frightened.

“Bro, you’re scaring the little dude. Chill.”

“I’m… sorry.”

Leon stalked off and leaned against the corner of the gym, closing his eyes. “Hey, Ibuki thinks you looked pretty mad.”

“Huh? Wait, if you’re here, who’s playing the music?” He looked to the stage to see Maizono-san. “Oh…”

“Sayaka-chan told Ibuki that you wanted to learn some music.”

“I, uh… She told you that?” He sighed. “Eh, it’s your party, you go enjoy it.”

“But nobody in Ibuki’s class is really interested in music. Ibuki would really like to help somebody with music.”

“You’d actually want to help me?”

“Yeah! Leon-chan could join Ibuki’s music club! Then it could have more than one member!”

“It’s only you?”

“Yeppers! But with you, it wouldn’t only be Ibuki.”

“Maybe we could invite Maizono-san too… Cause it’d be awkward if it was just us, y’know.”

“Okee! Ibuki thinks that’s a great idea!” She skipped away. Leon walked over to the stage and sat in a chair that had been placed there, listening to the music.

**Koichi Kizakura**

“God dammit!” Koichi flicked open his flask. “This is bullshit!” He sat on a couch and turned his eyes to the other person in the room.

“Koichi, please, tell me what happened.” Jin Kirigiri asked with slight concern.

“They’re firing me, Jin… The Steering Committee.”

“What? Why?” He stood up.

Koichi took a drink. “They’re blaming me for the whole thing… Since I’m the talent scout, they’re blaming me for letting Enoshima in.”

“Wait, didn’t they-”

“Yeah! I didn’t even scout her. She was let in through recommendation from those bastards.”

“How didn’t I hear about this?”

“I mean… It’s my ass, or yours… The Steering Committee is near untouchable.”

“Wait, I can make some calls, I can fix this.”

“Don’t bother. They’ve already leaked my name to the press… It’d be worse for you if you tried to keep me.”

“Listen, I can fix this. I can-”

Koichi cut off the Headmaster. “Jin, please…” He reached into his jacket and pulled out some files, spreading them across the desk. “These are the four students I didn’t scout…” He placed his hand on the first file. “Of course, here’s Enoshima.” He pointed to the second file. “And her sister Ikusaba Mukuro.”

“What about the others?”

“Well… Your daughter… But you knew that. And this is Fukawa Toko… The Ultimate Writer.” He took another drink. “If Enoshima and Ikusaba are anything to go off of… She could be dangerous.”

“I see… And what do you think I should do about this?”

“I dunno… Just thought you should know.” He turned to leave.

“Wait, where are you going?”

“Well, I don’t work here anymore… I guess. I should pack up my things and say my goodbyes.” He tipped his hat to the Headmaster. “Keep the school together while I’m gone…” He went to take a drink, just for his flask to be empty. He looked away. “Good luck, Jin.”

**Chiaki Nanami**

“Hello Nanami-san.” Chiaki looked up from her game. Kirigiri-san was standing in front of her with a neutral look. “Do you have time for a question?”

“I guess… Why?”

“I wanted to ask if you knew anything about the disappearance of the Reserve Course.”

“Disappearance? What do you mean?”

“It seems that ever since the Incident, the Reserve Course has vanished.”

“Vanished? I just thought that the Parade ended after the… While I was in the Medical Wing.”

“It did, but afterwards… It seems that nobody has seen a member since. You are the last person I needed to ask.”

“Well, to answer your question. No, I haven’t seen anyone.” A lie. Chiaki hoped her face didn’t show it.

“I see… Goodbye.” She turned around and walked away. 

“She really asked everyone? She truly is the Ultimate Detective.” Komaeda-kun took a seat next to her. “A lowly scum like me wouldn’t have even noticed those missing students.”

“Stop saying things like that… We’ve talked about this.”

“Sorry Class Rep.” He said with a forced smile. “It seems like after the maze, everyone has been a little on edge. Some of them have taken this as a chance to change. While others have started to regress to old habits… Even you.”

“I… Wow. I didn’t know you could, y’know, vocalize like that. But, what do you mean ‘even me?’”

“Ever since you were tortured, you’ve been quiet and reserved… Like you were before you became Class Rep. You haven’t even used any gaming metaphors. But who am I to talk… I’m nobody to tell you what to do.”

“No… You’re right. I’m just… afraid. I was the one who led you all down there. What if it was one of you instead?”

“Nanami-san.” His expression turned serious. “If you are going to blame anyone, blame me. I was the one who dragged you down there with me. And I tricked you into going back down there.”

“Tricked me?”

“Yep! I used reverse psychology to make you want to go back down.”

“No, I would’ve gone down anyway. I won’t let you shoulder the blame for this. It’s not your fault.”

“Heh. It seems-”

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” The other Lucky Student interrupted. “You’re Komaeda Nagito right? I’m Makoto Naegi, the other Ultimate Lucky Student.”

Komaeda-kun’s face changed. He looked at him the same way he looked at Chiaki when they first met. “You… Your hope…” He smiled. “Please excuse me Nanami-san.” The Lucky Students walked off together. Chiaki almost pulled back out her game before thinking about what Komaeda-kun had said.

She looked to the nearest person. “Hey, Kuzuryu-kun, could you come here for a second?”

“Eh? Sure.” He leant against the wall. “What’s up?”

“Are you mad at me?”

“Huh? Where’s this coming from?”

“I led you all down there… We were all underleveled and I led you straight to the final boss.”

“The hell? No, I don’t blame you.” He was quiet for a second. “But, I know how you feel. I felt the same way with my sister. I felt like I failed her. And what I did… It didn’t help. Nevermind. What I’m saying is nobody is blaming you.”

“Thanks, I guess.” She replied, not really understanding what he was talking about. A bright flash went off.

“I told you to stop taking pictures of me.” The Yakuza said, annoyed.

“Jeez, you're a guy… Stop being so uptight.” Koizumi-san retorted. “Plus, how could I resist with that serious expression on your face. What were you even talking about?”

Kuzuryu-kun rolled his eyes and started to walk away. He always did this when Koizumi-san tried to talk to him. _This is my chance to lead them again. Maybe I can finally figure out why he does that._ “We were talking about his sister.” Chiaki said before he could get away. 

**Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu**

_Why the hell did she say that?_ He stood still for a second before turning back around. The Photographer looked as uncomfortable as he did. He scowled.

“Kuzuryu? What’s wrong?” She mused, innocently.

“You know what’s wrong.”

“I don’t. Please, tell me.” Her voice turned sharp. That bastard.

“You were there.”

“Wh-what? What is he talking about?” The Class Rep interrupted.

“Wh… How did-” 

“I found those pictures.” It felt good to finally get that off his chest.

“I… How did… You killed her, didn’t you?” She accused.

“Kuzuryu-kun? You killed your sister?” Nanami-san asked, frightened.

“No, I didn’t. But that’s not who she's talking about.” People started to look in their direction.

“So you did kill her…”

“She murdered my sister! Not to mention you tried to get rid of the evidence. That bastard had it co-”

He was interrupted by her hand wrapping around his throat. She lifted him up and pinned him against the wall, her grip tightening. He could barely hear Nanami-san’s voice shouting her name. He could feel his consciousness fading… 

‘Thwack!’

With that sound, her grip loosened, letting Fuyuhiko regain his breath. He blinked a few times to regain his sight. The first thing he saw was the Photographer, standing in front of him. His eyes were drawn to her hands, flying up to the back of her head.

When she pulled them back, they were covered in blood. What? He blinked a few more times to make sure his vision was normal. Her legs gave out, sending her toppling down. Fuyuhiko dashed forward to catch her before she hit the ground. He looked back up to see a bamboo sword, dripping.

“Peko? What the fuck!?”

“I was doing my duty, Young Master.”

“Y-you killed her!”

“I did not, she will be fine. I just knocked her unconscious. It would be hard to cause a fatal wound with this sword.”

Nanami-san’s senses seemed to come back to her. “Wh-what?” Her eyes widened. “What!?” She stood up, wincing immediately. She collapsed onto the floor in the blink of his eye. People started running over.

Cries of ‘What’s going on?’ and ‘What happened?’ came from the crowd. Fuyuhiko tightened his grip around the back of Koizumi-san’s head, trying to slow the blood. Nanami-san pushed herself up and grabbed her cane, limping over to them. “Is it true? Did you..?”

“Yeah, it is. And I don’t regret it.” He finally got to say.

She was quiet for a second. “Nidai-kun, get her to the Nurse’s Office.” The massive Coach stepped forward and scooped up the Photographer. “Kuzuryu-kun, Pekoyama-san… What was that?”

“What? I already told you I did it.”

“I… I almost died for you. And you’re doing things like this?”

Fuyuhiko spoke without thinking. “Then maybe you should have.” The crowd fell silent. A mix of betrayal and sadness spread across her face. He realised what he said. “Shit! Shit shit shit! I didn’t mean that. I wasn’t-”

Nanami-san pulled off her hat and slid off her hairpin. She dropped the hat to the ground and turned around. She started limping towards the exit, pulling up her hood. Fuyuhiko started to run after her. Komaeda-kun grabbed him and shook his head.

**Chiaki Nanami**

Chiaki stepped outside, rain falling onto her face. She hoped that the raindrops hid her tears. She thought about going back to her room. _No, they’ll just follow me._ She needed somewhere that they didn’t know.

The Gamer found herself sneaking around the front gate, like she had a long time ago. She walked out to the courtyard, taking a seat on the bench near the fountain. She thought about taking out her GGA but that just hurt more. She brought her legs up and fell to her side, curling into a ball, the rain getting heavier. She cried and clutched her hairpin to her chest.

She laid like that for what felt like an hour. “You shouldn’t be out here.” She blinked her clouded eyes. A piercing red gaze met her. 

“Why are you here?” She sniffed.

“You are shivering.” He looked around, an expression of vague recognition on his face. “Why here?”

“You really don’t remember.” Tears came back to her eyes.

“I see. This place… It was of importance to him.” More tears came from her eyes. “Still, it is unwise to remain here. If you remain out here, Hypothermia is likely.” After seeing she wasn’t moving, he knelt down.

“What are you-” He scooped her up and slung her over his shoulder, walking back towards the main campus. She didn’t bother fighting it. He was warmer than she would have expected from his cold personality. He walked in a way to make sure she was jostled the least. He snuck back in the way she snuck out.

When they reached her room, he placed her down and handed her her cane. She thanked him and unlocked her door, stepping in the room. He followed her in. He reached into her washroom and grabbed a towel, wrapping her in it. “You should change.”

“What?”

“Those clothes are soaked, you should change.” He made no move to look away.

“Could you… Go?” Her face flushed red.

He was silent for a second. “I shall go to the Dining Hall and make you a warm drink, please be changed by the time I get back.” He turned around and left her room.

She quickly stripped off her wet clothes. Pulling a long black T-Shirt sporting the Atari logo and a white skirt. By the time she sat back down, her door opened and the man stepped into her room. “Good. Please drink this.” He handed her the mug he was holding. He draped her blanket over her shoulders.

Chiaki took a sip of the drink. _Hot Chocolate._ “This is really good!” She praised, slightly burning her tongue.

“As expected.” Was all he said.

She took another sip. “So, you really have every talent?”

“I do.”

“Then play a game with me.”

A puzzled expression spread across his face. “Why? I will win.”

“You don’t know that, they don’t call me the Ultimate Gamer for nothing. And even so… I usually win at games, and I still love them.” 

“…I see. I shall play a game of your choice.” She beamed.

She placed the drink on her nightstand and opened the drawer. She pulled out the one game lying in there. “Here!” She stood up and placed the game into her GameSquare, and turned it on. The jingle of Gala Omega played across the screen. Chiaki noticed the slightest dilation in his pupils, as if he recognised it. She handed him a controller. “Ready?”

“Yes.”

She hit the ‘VS’ option. The game started and they both took control of their ships, Chiaki’s red, his Blue. They were evenly matched, their score nearly identical. The game lasted for a few minutes, until Chiaki noticed something. She waited for the exact moment for his opening, firing her ship.

“I… I lost?”

“I won!” She exclaimed. “Don’t look so surprised.”

“This… This shouldn’t have been possible. I was designed to not lose, how did this happen?” He asked, bewildered.

“You have the same playstyle. That’s how I won.”

“Same? But we’ve never played before… Unless…” He paused. “You played with him, didn’t you?” She gave him a nod. “I see, but that isn’t the whole reason.”

“It isn’t?”

“One of my talents… The Ultimate Analyst… I should be able to read everyone’s actions. But with you, I can’t. You are… Unpredictable.” She opened her mouth to talk but he cut her off. “When you were in the maze, I first noticed it. And ever since, I couldn’t predict you. Even tonight, everything you’ve done, I didn’t see it coming.”

“I… Then I promise to help you. I’ll show you not everything is boring.”

They were both quiet for a while. “Could we play again?”

“Okay!” She booted back up the console, and started a new round. They played for what felt like hours. Their wins staying even, Chiaki losing some, Kamukura losing the others. After a while, Chiaki started to get tired. She felt herself nodding off. The last thing she heard was the ‘Game Over’ tune before she fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally get to write some fluff. Sorry this took a while, but this is the longest chapter yet, so I hope that makes up for it.
> 
> In case you were wondering, the chances of Nagito winning that hand were 0.000154%.


	8. Promise

**Izuru Kamukura**

Izuru watched her lying there, shivering. _Why?_ The thought rang through his head. _Why am I watching this?_ He couldn’t find a reasonable explanation for why he watched her. Seeing her so cold and alone, his chest felt a weird sort of pain. He stood up.

The way he carried her back to her room, it felt familiar. _What is this?_ He sat her on the bed, ordering her to change. _How did I not predict that?_ Her aversion was the most likely outcome but he didn’t see it coming.

Izuru quickly came up with an excuse and stepped out of the room. He walked to the dining hall and opened the door to the kitchen, searching through the pantry. The hot chocolate was near the back. Pouring it into a mug, he placed it in the microwave. He trained his eyes on the timer.

“Hey there.” A familiar voice came from the door. A boy with spiky white hair stood in the doorway. Komaeda Nagito. “Hmm?” His brow furrowed. “You…”

He smiled before walking up beside Izuru. “What are you doing? It is illogical to be so close to the person who shot you.”

“I just wanted a snack.” He reached into the pantry, pulling out a bagel. The microwave dinged. “If you don’t mind, could we meet after you finish? I doubt hope like you would want to meet with me… but still, I would like to talk with you.” Izuru pulled out the drink and left for Nanami’s room. _How was I so careless?_

He handed her the drink and she suggested they play a game together. He had no doubt in his mind he would win. When she placed the cartridge into the console, the game booted up. The music that played tore through the back of his mind. An image of a pink haired girl bumping into his arm flashed across his mind. Throughout the game, their score remained nearly tied. They were tied until she landed a shot on his ship.

“I… I lost?” His mind went blank. She said something that he didn’t pay attention to. “This… This shouldn’t have been possible. I was designed to not lose, how did this happen?” 

“You have the same playstyle. That’s how I won.”

“Same? But we’ve never played before… Unless…” _Hinata._ This was the first time he had ever felt confusion. He gave her an excuse about how he couldn’t predict her. A half truth. 

“I… Then I promise to help you. I’ll show you not everything is boring.” Her words cut through like a bullet. There was so much he wanted to say… He tried to analyze her to find out what would be the best, before deeming it pointless. Another feeling swelled up inside him. Desire. He needed to beat her.

“Could we play again?” Her smile as he said that was bittersweet. Everything he knew about people said that she shouldn’t be so trusting in him, yet she was. He won the next game.

She blinked a few times at the game over screen, before puffing out her cheeks and pouting. “There goes my perfect win/loss ratio.” It made his heart beat in a rhythm he hadn’t known. They played a lot more. Whenever he’d remedy a mistake, she would find another. And the same went for her. On their fifty-sixth game, lasting around ten minutes now, her ship suddenly stopped moving. He quickly shot it down and won.

“Nanami?” _Another new feeling, concern._ He looked to her to find her head limp to her right, a bit of drool hanging from her mouth. _She’s just asleep._ He pried the controller from her hands, and picked her up. He laid her gently in her bed and pulled the blanket over her. He placed her head into the pillow the most comfortably he could. Her loose black t-shirt had slipped off of her right shoulder. It was… distracting.

Once he pulled his eyes away, they traveled to her forehead. The scar of the iron ball across her hairline. Her hair used to cover it well, until half of it was torn out. A burning feeling bubbled up in him. It was so foreign, it took a second to place it. Anger. He was mad at Enoshima and Ikusaba for all of this, for doing this to her. But moreso, he was mad at himself for helping. He ran a finger across the scar on her cheek, left by a scalpel slash.

His mind flashed back to her, tied to the chair. _That bitch._ He thought about how he just stood there as she did it. For the first time, Izuru cried. He sat down in the bed next to her, letting his tears out. When they ran dry, he looked up. He clenched his fist. 

_I won’t let her hurt you. Not again._ He promised to himself. Even if he hadn’t decided between Hope and Despair, he wouldn’t let her get caught in this battle she had nothing to do with.

He left her room, walking across to the boy’s dorms. He had a meeting.

**Juzo Sakakura**

Juzo was walking to his apartment, rain lashing down against his face. He had just finished his shift, and it was near midnight. He had been in charge of ramping up security after the Incident.

The Steering Committee had just fired the talent scout, pinning the blame of letting Enoshima in on him. Juzo knew that wasn’t true though. During his investigation of her, he discovered she was let in through the Steering Committee’s recommendation. He clenched his fist just thinking of them.

And to think, he almost let her go. He blamed himself at first. Thinking that if he just left, Munakata would still be alive. _But, Nanami would be dead. And Yukizome…_ He opened the door, hanging up his coat. “Juzoooo! I’m hungry!”

Juzo sighed. The former Housekeeper was tied to his heater. He couldn’t bring himself to take her to the police. _What if she was blamed? What if Nanami testified against her? She can still be saved._ He was sure of it.

“You have that looked on your face again.” She said playfully. “You still think I can be saved?” Juzo reached into his fridge, pulling out a cold piece of pizza. “Your hope really makes me sick.”

“Shut up.” He deadpanned, shoving the slice into the microwave. 

“C’mon! You know you love me.” She gave a sickening grin. “I think I’m starting to remember something.” The microwave dinged. He pulled the plate out and set it down infront of her. “Koichi once told me something. That us three were the closest Hope’s Peak students in the school’s history.” She took a bite. “Well… Us two now.”

“Shut up.” He said again, more annoyed.

“Oof. Really struck a cord there. Oh yeah, he was really your boy toy, wasn’t he?”

“Shut up!” Juzo yelled. She started laughing. Composing himself, he sat on the floor opposite her. “...You always wanted him to call you by your given name, right?”

She hummed, halfway through the slice. “Oh yeah, totally.”

“When I held him in my arms, as he was dying… He told me to save you… And he used your given name..” Her eye gave the slightest twitch.

“Jeez that’s… That’s…” She paused. “That’s so despairing!” Her eyes were practically swirling.

Juzo clenched his fist. “She killed him! She killed him and you still love her…”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

“You… You’re so obsessed with her… With her Despair.”

“No, you’re wrong.” She studied the confused look on his face. “It’s not ‘her’ Despair. Despair is Despair. If anything… I hate her.”

“Wh-”

“What she did to me.” Her eyes got misty. “She tortured Nanami!” Her expression turned to anger. “She… She killed Kyosuke.”

“Yuki-”

“If- No… When I see her again, I will kill her.” She started to laugh again, more maniacally.

“…Yukizome… I promise… I promise I will help you. You don’t deserve this…”

“Wow, I think this’ll be the first time you’ll break a promise to me. To anyone, really.”

He pulled the plate away and opened the door to his room. “We will see…”

**Ryota Mitarai**

Being called to an abandoned building, in the middle of the night. It sounded like a bad start to a horror anime. But all the same, Ryota decided to go. He wasn’t going to continue being a coward. 

He stepped into the building that used to be Hope’s Peak. Another person was in the entrance hall, seemingly waiting. “Gekkogahara-senpai? Why’d you call me here? Does this have something to do with Nanami-san?”

The pink bunny on her screen jumped up. “Hmm? You were invited too?”

“Well, it said to meet in the Library, so we should get going.”

“Hey, could you… help?” 

“With what?” Ryota looked at her, puzzled. “Oh, you need help with the stairs?”

“Yep!” Usami nodded.

‘Help’ meant Ryota pushing her up the stairs from behind. After ten minutes, they reached the top. “I’m so glad the Library is on the second floor.” He panted.

“Me too!”

The door was wide open when they arrived. “Took you long enough.” Came a slurred voice.

“Kizakura?” Ryota asked. He looked around the room. Three students stood around the room. A woman, slightly older than him, with silver hair and a studded black facemask. The next was a man with shoulder length black hair, with an unkempt appearance, seemingly the same age as him. The last was a meek looking girl with hair like his own, wearing green and brown. She looked a year younger than him.

“Mitarai?”

“What? Sorry?” He snapped back to his senses.

“I just asked if you could keep a secret.”

“…I guess, why?”

The black haired boy spoke up. “Why would he ask you if you could keep a secret unless he wanted you to keep a secret?” He asked, rhetorically.

Kizakura interrupted. “Basically, I’ve been fired.” Everyone looked upset, even Gekkogahara. “The Steering Committee has blamed me for all of this and they told me I need to go.”

“When? How long do you have?” The masked girl looked concerned.

“I’ve got…” He looked at his watch. “About negative three hours.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Cause I’ve got an offer for you five.”

“What is it?” The digital rabbit asked.

“There’s only one thing I care about more than the kids of this school.”

“My guess is alcohol?” The black haired kid quipped.

“Heh, I wish.” He sat down, his expression turning serious. “I want to help… Tsumiki… Yukizome… Even Kamukura, if I can.”

“And how do you plan to do that?”

He pulled an image out of his pocket. It seemed to show a hotel, the words _Hotel Mirai_ , written above the door. The timid girl looked surprised. “Jabberwock Island? How would that help?”

“Maybe… If you discuss your talents… You could figure it out for yourself.”

Gekkogahara, or rather, Usami was the first to speak up. “My name is Usami, and that’s Miaya Gekkogahara! Together, we’re the former Ultimate Therapist.”

“Uh, I am Chihiro Fujisaki, the Ultimate Programmer.”

“Yasuke Matsuda… The Ultimate Neurologist.”

“I’m Seiko Kimura… The former Ultimate Pharmacist.”

“My name's Ryota Mitarai. I’m the Ultimate Animator.”

“Mitarai? Weren’t you the one who stopped Enoshima?” Kimura asked.

“Oh, uh, kinda… It was more Sakakura and Munakata. If anything I only helped her, I made the video that brainwashed Tsumiki-san… and Yukizome-sensei.”

“Oh… I see.”

“Back on track, what do our talents have to do with this?” Matsuda asked. “I could see my talent being able to help… And maybe Gekkogahara’s.” 

Kizakura just smiled. “I think I have an idea…” The Programmer chirped. “…A virtual reality.”

“Bingo!” He sat back up. “I call it… The Neo-World Program.”

“A VR program to rehabilitate those fallen to despair!”

“Indeed. Fujisaki, I believe you have the programming expertise to design such a program?” She nodded fervently. “Gekkogahara, you should be able to help as the Ultimate Therapist… As well as help Fujisaki with your programming skills. Matsuda, you’re working with memory right now, correct?” He gave an affirmative hum, lost in a book. “You seem to be the key to helping “reset” everyone back to before their… issues. And Kimura, your drugs are amazing… Do you think it would be possible for you to design a drug to allow people to sleep for a long period of time, while slowing bodily functions?”

“Of course!” She beamed. Kizakura stood up.

“Wait? What about me?” Ryota asked.

“Mitarai, you designed the Brainwashing… You could be a useful asset. Also, these guys need a leader.”

“A leader? I thought you-”

“Listen kid.” He knelt and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’ve been fired, I can’t be here or it’d look suspicious.”

“But why do you think I should be the leader? Wouldn’t Fujisaki-san of Gekkogahara-san be better suited?”

“When I first met you, it was at an anime convention, right?”

“Y-yeah?”

“You had been running around, desperately trying to get people to watch your anime. After a while, you gave up and sat crying outside… I saw you and asked what was wrong. Then I watched it. And right then and there, I had decided to draft up an invitation.” He paused. “I told you that I was a former Ultimate Lucky Student… That was a lie.”

“What?”

“Only a few people close to me know my real talent.” He paused again. “The Ultimate Judge of Character.”

“That’s… You really think I am cut out to be in charge of something like this?”

“I do.”

“Then I will… I trust you.”

“You better.” He laughed. “I was one of the few aware of your little switcharoo.” He stood up. “See you around, kid.” And he left the room.

Ryota turned back to the group he now was in charge of. “How long do you think this will take?”

Fujisaki responded. “The program alone will take a few months.”

“As will the drug.”

“I will also need to figure out how to rehabilitate them while in the program.”

Everyone turned to Matsuda, lost in his book. “I’ll be ready by the time they are.”

“I don’t think I need to say the obvious but… We can’t tell anyone. Who knows who could be in cahoots with Enoshima. Or somebody who might get too emotional…”

“Should we decide on a meeting time?” Usami bounced.

“Yeah, I think right now, weekly. And work on your individual jobs on your own time.”

“I assume this meeting is adjourned?” Matsuda said, closing the book.

“I guess…” He stood up to leave. The others followed suit.

Ryota stayed in the room. Thinking about what comes next. He clenched his fist. _I promise… I will help you… I will help you all._

**Leon Kuwata**

Leon woke up to his alarm blaring. His eyes ached as he rubbed the sleep out of them. His alarm was set for five in the morning. Apparently, music had to be a 24/7 job. He stretched and sat up. He picked up his electric guitar and headed out.

“Oh… Kuwata-kun!” He turned to see a drowsy Maizono-san, walking down the hall. “I didn’t think you’d actually come.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“You just seem…” She yawned. “Like that kinda guy.”

“Hey! When I say I’m gonna do something, I do it.”

“Jeez, have you been talking to Owada-kun?”

They shared a laugh. Mioda-san decided that they should use the music room in the old school building, even though two of them never even took classes there.

As they reached the top of the stairs to the fourth floor, they saw the Ultimate Musician waiting for them. “Heyo!”

“Why the hell did we have to get up so early?” Leon said mid-yawn.

“If Leon-chan wants to be another Ultimate Musician, then he must be ready at all times!” She looked to his hands. “Ooooh! That’s a nice guitar!”

“Uh, thanks. It’s my dad’s though… And I kinda stole it.”

“Oh! That gives Ibuki an idea for a song!”

“Hey… Do you smell that?” Maizono-san interrupted.

She tilted her head up and made an audible sniffing sound. “That smells like Teru-chan’s cooking! Follow Ibuki, we hafta find the source!”

“Didn’t you say that music needs to be ready at all times… or something?”

“You only say that cuz you haven’t had Teru-chan’s food!” She made another sniffing sound. “This way!” She ran down the hall, leaving the tired aspiring musician to trot along behind.

As they got closer, Leon could definitely smell something, and it definitely wasn’t cooking. He was stopped by a tug at his sleeve. He turned back to see Maizono-san wearing a look of terror. “Kuwata-kun…” She squeaked out.

“Hey… We don’t have to keep going.” He grabbed her shoulders, seemingly snapping her out of it.

“N-no, we do…” They caught up to the Musician staring at the stairs to the fifth floor.

They were wrapped tightly in layers of police line. Leon felt an intense malice coming from the floor above. “Hey… Uh… Maybe we should turn back.”

“If there’s one thing Ibuki’s learned from Chiaki-chan’s games… Is that it’s always a good idea to hop a police line.”

She started grabbing handfuls and tearing them away. “Did you guys find her?” Leon asked, trying to take his mind off of the possibilities that lay upstairs. “Like, after she ran out?”

“Nagito-chan said she was in her dorm, and needed some time to herself.”

Leon scowled at the mention of the name. After a minute, she had finally torn enough down to get through. He turned to the girl still clinging to his arm. “Maizono-san, seriously, you don’t need to do this.”

She looked at him, her eyes filled with fear. “I… I have to.” The three walked up the staircase. The sense of malice and despair only growing with each step.

At the top, everything seemed normal. Leon had never been up here, as he had only ever attended the ‘New’ building. He followed Mioda-san through the halls, until she stopped dead in her tracks.

Leon looked around her to see a sight full of despair.

“Wh-” Maizono-san’s eyes widened. “What the hell is this?”

On the floor lay four white outlines. Two seemed layered on top of eachother, both in the form of a body. The next lay close by, the same as the others, except for a flat line where the head would start. Next to that was a somewhat circular outline, clearly meant to be the head. To punctuate it all, blood lay splattered around, drenching the area of the hall, clearly the source of the smell.

Leon felt himself get dizzy. He felt the Pop Star burrow her face into his chest, the wetness of her tears seeping through his shirt. The Musician went pale, her jaw dropping. He looked back up to see a set of bloody footprints leading away. “Both of you, stay here.” He said, moving to follow them, breaking free of her grasp.

They seemed to lead to a door labeled classroom 5-C. Inside was even worse than the hall.

Countless outlines and gallons of blood littered the ground. He repressed the urge to vomit. The desks had all been torn up and thrown around the room. The whole facade looked like a warzone. Near the center lay a cart with files inside. He pulled one out at random. _Aiko Umesawa, the Ultimate Demolitionist._

Inside were a few pictures, the first showed a girl wearing a yellow hoodie with mismatched eyes. The second showed that same girl with two adults standing beside her, seemingly her parents. The third and final picture showed those same adults, gagged and bound. A girl with a beautiful face stood behind them, brandishing a knife.

“What the hell happened here?” Leon asked nobody. He crumpled up the picture in his hands and dropped it to the ground. “It wasn’t just Nanami, was it?” He flipped through the files until he found someone he recognised. _Soshun Murasame, the Ultimate Student Council President._ He recognised the leader of the student council as he often spoke at school events.

_Are these all student council members? Aren’t they overseas? Did Enoshima murder them all?_ His train of thought was interrupted by a scream from the hall. _Maizono-san!_ He dropped what he was holding and dashed out. The hall was empty. “Maizono-san?! Mioda-san!?” He yelled out for them, yielding no response.

He started running towards the staircase. That was quickly stopped by a blow to his head. He tried to look at his assailant but he felt his consciousness fading too fast.

**Chiaki Nanami**

Chiaki was sitting on a bench. It took her a second to realize where she was. She was sitting on her bench, the one she always played games on. The cool sound of the fountain water behind her. She could feel someone next to her but she was afraid to look. Eventually she built up the courage, and turned her head. Sitting next to her was Hinata-kun.

“What’s wrong Nanami?” He asked, noticing her look of concern. And the fact that she looked up from her game.

“I’m scared.” It seemed to come naturally to her.

“Of what?”

“I-I don’t know.”

He just hummed in response.

“Why… Why did you go? I told you that I didn’t care about talent. And I told you how you were better off without it.” 

He gave her one of his self hating laughs. “If I could know what would have happened… What could have happened. I wouldn’t do it… Does that help?”

“I just want my friend back… Please.”

“Nanami, I promise. I promise I will come back to you. I don’t know when… But I will.”

Chiaki woke up. She could hear the patter of rain against her window. The memories of the night before came flooding back. She felt like getting up before realizing how comfortable she was. Her blanket was wrapped so nicely around her and her pillow was the perfect level of softness.

She felt like lying there forever. She soon remembered Koizumi-san and forced herself up. She grabbed a plain white t-shirt and threw her cat hoodie overtop. Her doctor had told her to examine her wounds every morning to make sure they weren’t infected. She placed her right foot across her left knee, examining the scar. The circular blotch hurt to touch. Meanwhile the scar on her left knee looked better, the smaller wound was easier to look at.

Chiaki rolled up her left sleeve, looking at the tear across her arm. It was uneven and deep, but had healed the best. She pulled up her stockings and grabbed her cane. Her backpack was still loaded with a handful of games, so she slid it on. She placed her hairpin in her pocket and grabbed her cane. The last thing she did was finish off the drink Kamukura had prepared for her the night before. Even cold, it was still delicious.

Her class was waiting for her in the dining hall, sans Koizumi-san, Kuzuryu-kun, Pekoyama-san and Mioda-san. _The first three make sense… But Mioda-san?_

“What’s wrong Nanami-san?” Mitarai-kun asked, seeing her confusion. 

“I’m just wondering where Mioda-san is… It’s nothing.” She sat down and pulled out her GGA.

“Oh! I know!” Saionji-san sneered. “She’s probably off with her new ‘Music Club’.”

Chiaki didn’t bother inquiring. “Yo, uh, Nanami-san… I grabbed your hat, in case you wanted it back…” Soda-kun placed it in front of her.

“Thanks… I guess.”

His eyes drifted to her forehead, locking in on the mark above her right eye. “Jeez… That looks really bad.” Chiaki quickly pulled her hood up to hide it. “I mean, it looks like it hurt a lot… I mean, of course it hurt a lot… I mean…” He looked at her face, seeing her discomfort. “I’m going to sit down.”

Sonia-san was sat next to her as usual. “I believe it makes you look ‘cool’. You look like those battle hardened soldiers I gave medals of honor too.” Chiaki just dug herself further into her game. “Nanami-san? Did I say something wrong?”

“No… It’s just… Nothing.”

“What’s gotcha down?” Owari-san asked, shoving a piece of meat into her mouth.

“I’m fine, okay?” She replied, sharper than intended.

“Nanami, we were going to go check in on Koizumi-san, if you’d like to come.” The Imposter, still dressed as Togami, tried to move the conversation along.

“Y-yeah, I’ll do that.” Chiaki fiddled away at her GGA, trying to stay quiet. Eventually everyone finished eating and started towards the Medical Wing. She kept her eyes down as they walked.

“It was a slight laceration, nothing dangerous. She does have a concussion though.” The doctor explained when they arrived. “She is awake, so I think you should be able to see her.”

Everyone quickly filed into the room. Chiaki paused at the door. “Huh? What’s wrong?” Mitarai-kun noticed her hesitation. “…Listen, I know I wasn’t at the party… But I’m sure this wasn’t your fault.”

“Yeah, I know.” She pulled open the door.

“Hey Chiaki-chan!” Koizumi-san was sitting up in a hospital bed. “Jeez, why do you look so sad?” She had a bandage wrapped around her forehead.

“It’s nothing… How are you feeling?”

“I have a bit of a headache… And last night is a little blurry. But I’m doing fine… Hey, what happened to your hat? This is the first time I’ve seen you without it since you got it.”

“It’s just… something Kuzuryu-kun said… It’s not important.”

“Kuzuryu? What did he say? Is that why he isn’t here?”

Chiaki opened her mouth to speak before Komaeda-kun interrupted her. “He said he wished she’d died in the maze.”

“What!?” Her looked shifted from concern to anger. “That bastard…” 

“He’s twisting my words.” A voice came from behind Chiaki.

“Wh-”

Kuzuryu-kun bowed down. “My family name is ‘Kuzuryu’. My given name is pronounced ‘Fu’ ‘Yu’ ‘Hi’ ‘Ko’. My talent is the Ultimate Yakuza.”

“Yeah, we know, you smelly gangster.”

“I’ve never formally introduced myself to most of you.” He placed himself to the ground, performing a dogeza. “I would like to apologize for what I’ve done.”

“Kuzuryu-kun…” The Photographer whispered.

“But I feel as though this half-assed apology isn’t enough.” Chiaki had only a second to process that before a puddle formed underneath him.

“What!?” The blood seeped around as he stood up, clutching his stomach. Chiaki looked to the person closest to the door. “Mitarai-kun, get the doctor!”

“I’m fine… I… I’m a Kuzuryu… I can handle this.” He walked a few steps before falling to his knees. “I promise…” He collapsed.

**Leon Kuwata**

Leon opened his eyes. He was tied to a chair in what seemed like a classroom. He tried to remember what happened. To his sides were Maizono-san and Mioda-san both asleep and tied the same way. 

Leon struggled against his restraints. “Hey…” He whispered. “Hey, wake up.” The Musician seemed to stir, while the Pop Star remained still. “Hey, Maizono-san, you need to wake up.”

“Kuwata-kun?” She let out, opening her eyes. “Where are we?”

“I’m not sure.” He struggled again.

“Has Ibuki been kidnapped?”

“I don’t think so… This still looks like a classroom in Hope’s Peak.”

There came a sound of shuffling from outside, somebody was coming in. A sense of panic overwhelmed Leon. The door swung open and a man wearing a long jacket walked in.

“What the hell were you thinking?” He glared at the trio. “Did you think the police tape was there for fun?” Leon recognised him as the head of security, Juzo Sakakura.

“What was that?” He replied. “What the hell did she do? What did she do to the Student Council?” Maizono-san looked confused.

“I assume you are talking about Enoshima?” Leon nodded. “It’s not what she did… It’s what she made them do.” He paused. “She forced them to murder eachother… A _Killing Game._ ”

The words sent a chill down his spine. “What? What happened to the Student Council?” The Idol asked.

“One is alive… But he is in a coma.” The color drained from the three of their faces. “The rest were murdered by each other… And there was one more.”

“Who?”

“Kamukura Izuru… Enoshima placed the blame onto him by stealing the surveillance video. She then interlaced the footage with brainwashing shit and sent it out to the reserve course.” 

“What? That would mean-”

“The Parade… It was because of her.”

“So this all happened a few weeks ago? Why didn’t anyone know?”

“The school, they covered it up.”

“Why?”

“Why the hell do you think?” Leon opened his mouth to retort, before realizing he had nothing to say. “I thought so…” He frowned. “Listen, I’ll let you go if you promise not to tell anyone, okay?”

“Ibuki’s mouth is sealed!”

“I… I won’t say anything either.”

“Yeah, I won’t snitch.”

“Good.” He untied them, one by one. “Now get out of here.”

The two girls ran out quickly. Leon stayed back. “Can I see it?”

“What?” The Boxer retorted, slightly annoyed.

“The video, can I see it?”

“Kid… You don’t want to see it, trust me.”

“I know… But still, I have to know what she did.” He looked into Sakakura’s eyes. “I have to see it.”

He sighed. “Are you sure about this? That shit is fucked up…”

“I am.”

“Come with me.” He started walking away, motioning for Leon to follow him. They stepped out into the hall of the fourth floor. At the bottom, he was led into the AV room. “This is your last warning, kid.”

Leon grabbed the headset and placed it on his head. Sakakura pulled out a disk and loaded it in. It started with the student council showing concern about how they were blackmailed into coming here so late at night.

Eventually, two people walked into the room. The first with long dark hair and a face he couldn’t recognise. The other was a face he knew all too well. He clenched his fist at the sight of Enoshima.

She began to explain how they had to kill each other and called her sister in with the cart Leon saw earlier. She also brought in a box full of weapons. One girl stood up in protest before being shot by Ikusaba. His eyes widened.

Chaos ensued. Some of the members tried to keep things calm. Leon’s eyes were drawn to the girl eyeing the cart. She waited for a distraction before sneaking a look at her file. She immediately picked up a knife and stabbed a boy in the back. All hell broke loose, some people ran out of the classroom in terror. Others stayed, thinking they could trust each other.

The heterochromatic girl Leon recognised from earlier stayed with a massive man she seemed to trust. She flailed a pan wildly around before the guy grabbed her shoulder. He seemed to comfort her before-

Leon threw the headset off and looked away. Not just because of what was on screen, but he knew exactly what would make him do the same. And she did too. “I told you it was a bad idea.”

“Take me to her… Take me to Enoshima.”

**Chiaki Nanami**

The doctor rushed everyone out. Everyone decided to wait outside until they were sure Kuzuryu-kun was okay. “Aw man, there’s only three chairs?” The Mechanic exclaimed when they got to the waiting room.

“I ‘call dibs’.” Sonia-san sat in the rightmost one.

“If you guys are gonna make me wait, I’m sitting down.” Saionji-san demanded, taking the left one.

“Aw sweet! The one next to Miss Sonia is open!” Soda-kun cheered. He stepped forward but was stopped by a massive hand on his shoulder.

“If anyone should take a seat, it should be Nanami-san!” Nidai-kun yelled.

“Oh, yeah… That makes sense.”

“No… I’m fine. You can have the seat.”

He glanced at the Princess, then back at Chiaki. “Dude, you look like you’re gonna fall over. Take the seat, before I change my mind.”

It was true Chiaki’s arm was getting tired. And if she sat down, she could play a game… “Okay…”

She sat down and pulled out her GGA. Sonia-san leaned over to see what she was playing. “Oh, what is this game?” Chiaki hadn’t realized she still had her copy of Gala Omega in.

“It’s, uh… It’s nothing really…”

“Nanami-san calling a game ‘Nothing really’? Now I’m interested.” Saionji-san leaned over her other shoulder. “Wait…” She looked up to Chiaki’s hair. “This is the same ship as her hairpin!”

“I… uh.”

“Could it be? Is this Nanami-san’s favorite game?” The Princess teased.

“And she’s never played it with us?” Owari-san inquired.

“I-”

“Come on, now you’ve gotta show us.” The Mechanic pleaded.

“The undying gamer has a talisman she prefers? And she dare hide it from the Supreme Overlord of Ice?” Chiaki hit the power button and pulled her hood back up.

“Ooh, somebody’s shy… Could it be that she only plays it with her dream guy?” The Traditional Dancer pushed her arm.

“Not that scum like me should have a say… But I think we should stop.”

“Could it be? You and Komaeda-kun?” Sonia-san glanced between the two. “You did mention something about a boy you like going missing around the time he was suspended.”

“Is that why you were so happy to see him again? Yay! We have a happy coup-”

“STOP!” Chiaki screamed. “Please… Just stop…”

“Nanami-san?” The Princess was taken aback.

“Tell Kuzuryu-kun I’m sorry.” She grabbed her cane and stood up.

“Wait!”

Chiaki didn’t stop moving. She stepped out of the waiting room. “What the hell was that?” A tired looking Ultimate Yakuza had cut her off. “Nanami-san, are you okay?”

“I’m fine… Is it okay for you to be moving?”

“Probably not.” He laughed. “But I heard you scream… I wasn’t going to just lay there.”

“I’m just heading out, I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” He leaned against the doorway, clutching his bandaged stomach.

“I told you, I’m fine.”

He huffed. “Okay… I think… I think I need to head back.” He turned around and walked back into his hospital room. Chiaki continued out of the Medical Wing and into the hall. She left the building and headed to her dorm.

Waiting there was an all too familiar face. He was sat in her chair, one leg up as usual. “Nanami-” 

“I don’t want to talk right now.” She took a seat on her bed.

“You don’t have a therapy session today, yet you need to talk to someone.”

“Why? Why do I need to talk to someone?”

“Your mental health, especially after experiencing such a traumatic event, isn’t something to ignore.”

“And you think you can help? You were… You helped her.”

“And I regret doing so…”

“But you still did it.”

“…” He went quiet. “I take it your sessions are not helping?”

Chiaki thought about arguing more before deciding against it, he seemed like he actually wanted to help. “How did you know? I thought you said you couldn’t analyze me?”

“I said you were unpredictable, not that I couldn’t analyze you.”

Chiaki thought for a second. “It’s just… How could the ‘Ultimate Therapist’ not help?”

“Just because you are considered the Ultimate Gamer, doesn’t mean that you beat every game on your first attempt. And it is likely you have a genre you aren’t the best at.”

“So I’m like her Dating Sim?”

“...” He looked confused. “It appears so…”

“So am I just a lost cause?”

“No.”

“But if the Ultimate Therapist can’t help me, who can?”

“I could try.”

“Really?” She asked, a little more enthusiastic than she meant to.

“Yes.”

“Okay… Where do I start?”

“Can you explain your reaction earlier?”

“I… I don’t know. They were just playing, and I know that. It’s something they’ve always done.”

“I believe there is an explanation.”

“There is?”

“They seem to believe that acting like everything is normal is going to help. That is where their actions align.”

“What does that mean?”

“You are your class’s representative, correct?” She nodded. “Is it safe to assume you’ve planned out your class’s trips?”

“Yeah, I’ve helped… But it was mostly Yukizome-sensei.”

“What about when Yukizome was in the Reserve Course?”

“I… I did keep everyone together then…”

“They likely believe that organising these parties are a way to make you recover. When they noticed your mood shift, they thought you were thinking about the incident and therefore tried to take you back. When they saw you feeling worse, they tried harder, leading to a downward spiral.”

“How can I stop it?”

“Just talk to your classmates about it.”

“But what if they don’t believe me? What if they think I’m wrong?”

“And there is the other issue I’ve noticed.”

“Huh?”

“You seem to have developed a large sense of self doubt. When you led your class down, it was a bad idea. But that doesn’t mean they blame you. They care about you, and they aren’t mad.”

“But… But I failed them. I was supposed to take care of them and… and…” Her vision got blurry, tears falling down her face. “What if after me, she hurt them? What if she tried to kill them?”

“That was not her intention, and you did not fail them. If they didn’t forgive you, they wouldn’t have come everyday to check on you.”

“What about Tsumiki-san? And Yukizome-sensei?” 

“What about them?”

“Tsumiki-san was missing, and I didn’t do anything.” She rubbed the tears out of her eyes, only for them to be replaced. “And Yukizome-sensei went in after me, if I wasn’t an idiot, she would be okay… And now I’ve lost them both.”

“…” He looked as if he was contemplating telling her something. “There is a plan. A group has been formed to develop a way to break the brainwashing.”

She looked into his piercing red eyes. “Really?”

“Yes. I can not say much about it as I don’t want you getting involved, but there is.”

They sat in silence. Eventually, Chiaki asked the question on both of their minds. “Could it… Could it bring him back?”

“Possibly.”

“There’s something you said earlier… That you regret helping her… Is it true?”

“…” He went quiet again. “Yes.”

“I… I had fun last night. I had a lot of fun.” Her tears came back, for a different reason.

He looked like he wanted to respond, before closing his mouth again. “You are interesting.” He stood up and opened her door. “I will be back tonight.” He left, leaving Chiaki to wonder what he meant.

**Juzo Sakakura**

_What the hell is this kid thinking?_

“Listen kid, I hate her even more than you, but you can’t go see her.”

“Why the hell not?”

“That’s a long list, pal. First, you know no students are allowed off campus right now. Second, Enoshima is extremely dangerous, we have no idea what her next move may be. Third, the protests.”

The red-head looked confused. “Protests?”

“You don’t know? Have you not been online?” He shook his head. Juzo sighed. “Enoshima has a pretty die-hard fan base. When they learned of her arrest, they started trying to break into the school. Some have sworn revenge on the school, thinking it’s some sort of plot to frame her. And some have sworn revenge on Nanami, blaming her.”

“What? What the hell? Why?”

“If she can have such a hold on people who’ve never even met her, you can’t go meet her yourself.”

“I-I…” He stammered. “I need to go throw a ball.” The Baseball Star walked away.

Juzo let out a sigh of relief. It was already almost noon by the time they finished. He had to get back to his apartment to check on Yukizome. The Boxer stepped out of the old school building and started towards the staff housing. 

“Heyyy Juzo-chan! Back so soon? Did you miss me that much?”

“Be quiet.”

“You must really care about me.” He reached into his fridge and handed her some food.

“Just take the food.”

“No need to be so pushy.” She grabbed the plate and started eating.

They sat quietly for a while. Juzo was silently beating himself up about everything.

“You know Kamukura Izuru?”

“What?” This was the first time she’d brought up anything about him.

“Do you know him?” Juzo nodded. “Good, good.”

“Why’d you ask?”

“Do you remember Hinata Hajime?”

Juzo searched his mind. “No? I don’t think so?”

“You really just beat up a kid you didn’t know?”

“What?”

“Hinata Hajime is Kamukura Izuru.”

“So he’s the one they did it too?”

“Yup, and there’s one more thing. You remember those two murdered Reserve Course girls?”

“I do…” He shot her an inquisitive look.

“And the day after, there was a boy who tried to get into the Main Course.” Juzo nodded along. “That boy was Hinata Hajime!”

“Shit…”

“And just to make it worse, that was the day he decided to go through with it!”

“You aren’t saying-”

“That you’re the reason he did it? Oh I totally am!” Her eyes started swirling. “And my sweet, sweet Nanami… She was his best friend, and he was hers. I can’t count the amount of times she sat waiting for him through the cold, dark nights. Hoping for a chance that her only friend would come back. To think, you are the whole reason all of this happened, isn’t it so despairing?”

Juzo wanted to refute her, but somehow he knew she wasn’t lying. “Ya know, they were so close, I bet she’d do anything to see him again…” She gave him a devious smile.

_Shit, is she trying to tell me something? Nanami could be in danger!_ He stood up and ran out of his room, ignoring the Housekeeper. The autumn air waved through his jacket as he made his way to 77-B’s dorms. He entered the building and took a right towards the girls.

Juzo ran into someone, their presence felt like a brick wall, sending him back. Looking down at him was the former reserve course student. Instantly, a wave of fear washed over him. “You? Why are you here?”

Kamukura remained silent.

“You’re coming from Nanami’s room, aren’t you?” He nodded. Juzo sprung up and dashed past the red-eyed student.

He fumbled through his pockets, looking for the master key. He unlocked her door and burst in, terrified of what he might find. “Nanami!” She was lying on her bed, fiddling away at her game.

“Huh? Sakakura?” She looked up.

“Nanami, did he hurt you?”

“What? Who?”

“Kamukura… He was just here.”

“Oh… You know…” She paused. “I’m fine.”

“You’re fine? Then why was he here?”

She didn’t reply.

“Did he… Did he brainwash you?”

“No… I- He was just…”

“Nanami, whatever he told you, it was a trick. You can’t trust him.”

“No, that’s wrong! It wasn’t a trick.”

“Nanami, you can’t forget, he was the one who did that to you.”

“No… It was Enoshima.” She said, her voice slightly wavering. “It’s like saying Tsumiki-san and Yukizome-sensei did it to me.”

Juzo opened his mouth, closing it again when he realized he couldn’t say anything.

“At least tell me what you were doing… Please.”

“We were… We were just playing a game. And he’s helping me…”

“I… I thought… Just tell me if he says anything important, okay.” Juzo turned around and opened her door.

“Wait…”

“What?” He turned back.

“Sakakura… You saved my life… And you saved my friends when I couldn’t…” She paused, looking sad. “Thank you…”

“Nanami I…”

“He said he regrets helping her… That’s important, right?”

“Yeah… Yeah it is…”

“And maybe you should wait before bursting into a girls room next time… I think.”

Juzo flushed red. “I, uh… I should go.”

**Chiaki Nanami**

After Sakakura’s intrusion, Chiaki stayed in her room, playing some games. She wished she’d asked exactly when Kamukura was coming. To consume some time, she decided which game he should play. After some deliberation, she decided on Mario Kart.

She spent some time mindlessly tapping away at her controller, practicing for when he arrived…

_He should be here by now._ She thought, getting impatient. _What if something happened? What if Sakakura ratted him out? What if he was found by Ikusaba? What if he left? Again…_ She realized her arm was shaking. _He will come… He has too._

Her door opened. “Hello Nanami.” A sense of relief washed over her. “I assume you wish to play a game?”

“Yep, I picked one out and everything.” She showed him the case to Mario Kart 64.

“Before we start, I wish to give something to you.”

That intrigued Chiaki. “Hm? What is it?” He pulled out a GGA, coloured blue. She looked at it. “…That’s his… I mean, I got it for him… But it’s his. So I guess it’s yours?”

“If you bought it for him, then you should hold on to it until he is back.”

“You say that like he’s for sure coming back…”

“…” He shot her one of his silent stares.

“Keep it… It was his, and you are him… Kinda.”

“You still perplex me.” He put the console back into his pocket. “You refer to Hinata as a different person… Yet you treat me as if I was him.”

“I… I don’t know why…”

“How illogical.” The words were cold, but his tone wasn’t.

“Why does everything have to be logical?” He gave her a questioning look. “If you look at everything so harshly, of course you’ll find it boring. If I tried to find logic in every game I played, I don’t think I’d love them as much… Well actually, I don’t think I could not love games, but you get the point.”

“…”

“Let’s just play.”

“Okay.”

She handed him a controller and grabbed one for herself. “Ready? I won’t go easy on you.”

“Nor will I.”

She selected Yoshi and he chose Bowser. They chose Rainbow Road and 200cc. Lakitu flew out and counted down. _Red._ Chiaki braced herself. _Yellow._ She started revving, and she noticed he hadn’t. _Okay, that’s one advantage I have. Green._ A serious expression spread on both of their faces. _Go._

Chiaki started down the massive opening ramp. She took a sharp left almost immediately, hitting the button to hop. Suddenly, she was flying through the air. She landed about halfway through the track.

She took off, smashing through an item box. _Rolling… Rolling… Star._ She glanced over to his screen, he was already gaining on her. The first lap passed, and Chiaki took the shortcut again. After a few moments, he followed her. He nailed it as if he’d done it a thousand times.

By the end of the second lap, he was right behind her. She took the skip, and so did he. As they neared the finish, he slowed down. He threw out a blue shell and began circling around her head. Thinking fast, she hit her star power-up, stopping the shell. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flick of annoyance on his face.

He tried his best to catch up to her, but came second by a second. “I told you I wouldn’t go easy on you.” She gave him a smile.

“You must’ve played this a lot with Hinata.”

“Hmm? I never actually played it with him.”

“I see…” He stood up. “I will be going now.”

“Wait, you’re not going to play?”

“I did play… Just now.”

“Oh… I thought we would play like last night…”

“I have to meet someone, I will be back tomorrow.”

Instinctively, she grabbed his arm. “Promise me… Promise me you’ll come back.”

“…” He pulled his arm away. “I promise.” 

He left the room.

**Junko Enoshima**

The Despair sat alone in her cold, dark room.

She was bored, like usual. But there was something else… Something so foreign to her.

Anger.

She had calculated the odds of her plan working. There was only the miniscule chance that Mitarai would man-up and fight back. But even then, he wasn’t enough to stop her plan alone. That little coward had to run into that gay Boxer.

Usually her plan failing so miserably would fill her with so much Despair… But no, she couldn’t even enjoy that.

_Nanami._ This is all her fault. When she chose the Gamer, she had nothing against her, she was just necessary for the plan. But now, Junko was mad. She wanted that girl dead.

“Enoshima.”

She hadn’t noticed him enter. “Ahh, Kamukura-senpai, how’s your little ‘girlfriend’?”

“I am not going to work with you anymore.”

“Huh? You’re breaking up with me?”

“…”

“You told me that Nanami was unpredictable… Has it been rubbing off on you?”

“Goodbye.” He turned and left.

“Perfect… Just perfect.” Now she’d lost all of her pawns…

Well, not all of them. Once my sister pulls her little stunt, I can finally get out of here… And get my revenge.

_Nanami, I promise, I will get my revenge._

“Puhuhu… Puhuhuhu… Puhuhuhuhuhu.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took longer than usual, I tried to double the length here cause I’m considering this the end of the first ‘arc’ kinda.
> 
> In other words, I finally got to write some Chisa. I know some of you will be happy about that.


	9. Reparations

**Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu**

Fuyuhiko grunted. The nurse was applying some disinfectant. When he finished, the Yakuza was led back to his bed. It was the next day, Monday, and he was still being kept in the medical wing.

“Why couldn’t they put you in a different room?” A voice came from the bed next to his.

“Beats me… I wish they would’ve.”

“Jeez, this sucks… And they won’t even let me have my camera.”

“Why not?” He asked.

“Why do you even care?”

“I’ve got nothing better to do.”

“I… Apparently having a concussion means no flashing lights. I told them I could turn off the flash and they didn’t believe me.”

“Listen… I’m sorry… This is my fault.”

“Huh? How is it your fault? They said it was Peko-chan… I think…”

“You really don’t remember what happened? Why do you think I… Did this?” He motioned to his stitched stomach.

“Wasn’t it because you said that awful thing to Chiaki-chan?”

“I mean, yeah, but I wouldn’t slit my stomach over it…”

“I…” She seemed to scan her mind. “I remember we were talking… And Chiaki-chan was there… And… And…” Her eyes opened in slight recognition. “I pinned you against the wall…”

“Yeah… Any more?” He looked away. “Anything about the conversation?”

“I… I remember feeling mad at you… Wait, is that when you said… it?”

“No… That was after.”

“I… Then why’d I do that?”

“I… I told you…” He closed his eyes. “I killed her.”

“Huh? Who?” Her bed creaked. “Unless… Did you kill Sato-chan?”

He clenched his fist. “I’m sorry… I am. But she killed my sister… And you tried to help her cover it up.”

He looked back at her, her face unreadable. “I… She was my friend… Since middle school…” He could see the sadness on her face now. 

“Koizumi-san… If I could go back, I’d kick the shit outta myself…”

She sniffed, tears clearly falling down her face. “You… You really mean that?” He nodded. Fuyuhiko stood up. “Wh-?”

He hugged her.

“Kuzuryu?”

They pulled apart. He straightened out his collar. “If you tell any of them, I will kill you, okay.”

She giggled. “I still have a few questions though… Why did Peko-chan attack me?”

“I, uh, I guess I saw this coming… She’s basically a servant to the Kuzuryu clan.”

“What?” She asked in disbelief. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“It’s… It’s complicated. She has this weird thing where she thinks she’s my tool. Whenever she’s near me, she bows down and shit. I thought if we just pretended we didn’t know each other… Then she’d, like, snap outta it.”

“That’s… That’s…”

“Fucked up? Yeah I know…”

“I was gonna say honourable. But yeah that works too.”

“I guess if Peko’s one thing, she’s honourable…”

“I was talking about you…”

He flushed a deep red. “What?” He tried to regain his composure. “I mean… Thanks, or whatever…” She giggled again. “I think that’s the first time you’ve complimented me…”

“Don’t expect it too often…”

They sat in silence for a while. “Hey, Koizumi-san, you said you weren’t allowed to have your camera, right?”

“Yeah, why?”

He pulled out his phone. “This is the latest model, it has a cool camera, I guess.”

“Huh? How do you have this, isn’t it coming out on friday? 

“You think the Kuzuryu clan doesn’t have ties?”

“Why are you giving this to me?”

“Listen, do you want it or not?”

“I… Thank you.” She tapped the screen and took a picture of him.

“You’re not just gonna take pictures of me, right?”

“Well, who else?”

“I dunno, yourself?”

“I don’t really do selfies though…”

“Oh… Now that I think about it, you’re always the one taking our photos… You probably don’t have a lot with everyone else, do you?”

“Not really, but it's fine. I like taking the photos anyway.”

“Give that here.” Fuyuhiko grabbed the phone out of her hand. He aimed it at her and took her picture.

“Kuzuryu!?”

He handed it back to her. “Now when everyone comes back, I’m going to take another picture, okay?”

“Why?”

“If you love pictures so much, then you should have a picture of you with everyone.” She started tearing up again. “The hell? What did I say?”

“It’s… It’s just…” She went quiet.

“Koizumi-san, please, what’s wrong?”

“I-If Chiaki-chan died down there… I wouldn’t even have a picture of me and her…”

He winced. “Shit… I wasn’t even thinking about that.”

“And… And what about Tsumiki-san… And Yukizome-sensei.”

“Hey, they will get better… I know they will.”

“You really think so?”

“Yeah.” She looked back up, smiling. The Photographer leaned over and wrapped an arm around Fuyuhiko. “What? What the hell?” She opened the camera and took a picture. “Huh? I thought you didn’t do selfies?”

“Well, one can’t hurt. And plus, if you’re the person taking the picture, how would I have one with you?”

“Tch… I guess so.”

“You’re… Not so bad.” She paused. “For a guy.” The rest of the day passed, their class coming over and Fuyuhiko taking a group photo of everyone. It ended with Koizumi-san getting released and leaving the Yakuza.

**Juzo Sakakura**

Juzo got up, it was a Tuesday morning, so he had the day off. He wasn’t sure if it was a blessing or a curse. On one hand, he could watch over Yukizome and maybe coax some more information out of her. On the other, she knew exactly how to get on his nerves. She had taken up the habit of staying up all night shouting to him. He was really glad the staff rooms were sound-proof.

Juzo got dressed and stepped out of his room. She was missing. He started freaking out. A sound came from his washroom. The Boxer slowly approached the door, grabbing the handle. He twisted and threw the door open.

“Juzo-chan!?” She was in his shower, naked. He quickly averted his eyes. “How could you?”

“I-I… Sorry…”

“You should be.”

“Wait, no, how did you get out? And why are you naked?”

“Hmm? Oh! You really think a knot can hold me? And a girl needs a shower, okay?”

“Just… Get dressed, and then we can talk.”

“But what if I don’t wan-” He slammed the door in her face. 

After a few minutes, he heard the water stop. She stepped out, wearing a towel. “I told you to get dressed.” 

“All my clothes are in the wash though…” He looked to his laundry room and it was running. “Jeez, do you really hate me that much?” She plopped herself onto his couch.

“Huh?”

“And to think, I thought my body was pretty good.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Wow, it’s not standing up at alllll…”

He followed her gaze down towards his crotch. “Wh-what?”

“Hmm, maybe if I do this.” She pulled down the towel, flashing him. He looked away again, turning red. “Aww, still nothing…”

Juzo stepped forward and pulled the top of the towel back up. “You try that again and I’ll-

“You’ll what?” She asked, her voice turning serious. “What will you do to me?”

“I-”

“Admit it, you wouldn’t hurt a hair on my head.”

He grunted. Almost instantly, she was standing. Even though he still towered over her, he felt scared. He was scared because she was right.

She reached between her breasts and pulled out a kitchen knife. Juzo didn’t have time to think how she got it. She jumped forward, swinging it towards his face. It was a move she had used in the past, but those had all been jokes. This time, she was trying to kill him. He ducked under and grabbed her arm, twisting it so she dropped the knife.

What he hadn’t noticed was that she had another knife in her left hand. It was pointed directly at his throat. “Hehe, you’ve gotten rusty.” They stayed in that pose for what felt like an hour. Suddenly, she dropped the knife. “That got boring…”

She fell backwards onto the couch, spreading out. “Why? Why didn’t you kill me?”

“Huh? Oh Juzo-chan… I told you, I wanna kill Enoshima, not you silly…” She gave him a smile that was reminiscent of her old self.

“But… If you were able to escape this whole time, why didn’t you?”

“I dunno… Messing with you is kinda fun.” A ding came from the laundry room. She didn’t move.

“Go get your clothes.”

“But I’m so much more comfortable like this…”

“Get dressed now.”

“Awww, okayyyy.” She gave him a fake frown before throwing off the towel. He averted his eyes again. “Ha, gotcha!” He looked back to see her, naked, holding the knife back to his throat.

He winced. “Go get dressed.”

“Okay!” She bounced and dropped the knife again, skipping off to get her clothes. With almost clinical efficiency, she sorted the laundry and finally put some clothes on. “Y’know, you should’ve really listened to Nanami, she's actually kinda smart when you get through her airheadedness.”

“What are you talking about?”

“When she told you, ‘And maybe you should wait before bursting into a girls room next time… I think.’”

“What? How did you know she said that? Did you talk to her?”

“Nope!” She popped the ‘p’. “I just know you both soooo well. I could probably guess what you were gonna say a year into the future.”

“Tch.” One could almost mistake her for the real Yukizome Chisa. “That’s annoying.”

She giggled. It wasn’t like her cackles, nor her mocking. It was genuine. “Thank you… For being there for her, when no one else is.”

“Wh-?” 

“Just kidding, I couldn’t care less if you were nice to her.” Her laugh felt half-assed, and her eyes weren’t swirling. “Jeez, quit looking at me like that… I told you she’s gone, the old Chisa Yukizome is dead and gone.” Her tone felt like she didn’t quite believe that.

“I think… No, I know that’s not true. And you do too.”

“Huh?”

“She is in there.”

“Juzo-ch-”

“And I will help you… Her… I don’t know.”

“Wow, you’re annoying.” She paused. “And don’t even think about tying me up again.”

**Leon Kuwata**

“Wow Leon-chan, you’re already getting good!”

“Yeah, Kuwata-kun, that was pretty good.”

It was Wednesday, and the third day of Mioda-san’s music club. “You really think so?”

“Yup! Yup!” She handed Leon a water bottle. “Ibuki thinks he might be her soulmate!”

“What!?” He and Maizono-san asked simultaneously.

“Leon-chan could definitely be her true band member!”

“Oh…” He breathed a sigh of relief, and he heard the Idol do the same.

“Okie! It’s time for Leon-chan’s guitar lessons!”

“Aww man…”

“Huh? Ibuki thought Leon-chan wanted to be a musician?”

“Well, yeah, kinda… But I like punk, and punk singers usually don’t play an instrument. Like Dave Vanian from The Damned or Johnny Rotten from the Sex Pistols.”

“Why do you need to be like everyone else?”

“Huh? I guess… It’s just those guys are the most popular, right? They have to be doing something right.”

“Oh! Oh! Ibuki gets it! Leon-chan wants to be popular!”

“That was pretty obvious.” Maizono-san spoke up.

“But why do you need to be the most popular? Why not find people who love your music for the music and for you?”

“I… I guess it’s just easier to get chicks that way.”

“There are more important things in this world than a temporary physical relationship.” Her voice changed, sounding the most serious he’d heard it.

“Woah that’s… Loaded.” Even Maizono-can seemed confused.

“For Ibuki, that’s music. For Sayaka-chan, it’s being an Idol.” She nodded. “What is it for Leon-chan?”

“I-I… I don’t know.” He sat down on the stage. “I mean, I have Baseball… But that isn’t that cool. And there’s music, which is fun… And I like hanging with you two.” He motioned to them. “But… I dunno, something just isn’t here…”

“Kuwata-kun…”

“Ibuki gets it!”

“You do?” He looked up, meeting her eyes.

“Ibuki never had any friends. She had a band, but they kicked her out.” She smiled. “And then she met Yukizome-chan! And Chiaki-chan! And together, they helped her make friends with everyone…”

“What are you saying?”

“Yep! Yep! Leon-chan, what you need are friends!”

He rolled his eyes. “Gee, thanks.” He said sarcastically.

“Ibuki is serious, Leon-chan just needs to make some friends!”

“I mean, I guess I don’t really got any friends… Most of them just used me for my talent.”

“See?”

“But there is Nekomaru, he’s pretty cool.”

“Ah! Ah! Ibuki has an idea! It’s one of her friend’s birthdays tomorrow, Leon-chan should totally come!”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. With everything going on, I wouldn’t wanna intrude.”

“Aww, really?”

“Yeah… But I think I get what you’re saying.

“Wha-What?” She started frothing at her mouth.

“I mean, your class is so close, right? Ours was never really like that… Everyone just kinda spread out and did their own thing. We didn’t even have a teacher that cared about us.”

“Yeah, only Taka-kun and Naegi-kun ever showed up for class.”

“We only actually went after the Parade started… Since the school wanted us to.”

“Jeez, Ibuki couldn’t imagine not being close with everyone.”

“But… You’re right, we should try to get together more… Hell, I don’t even know their birthdays.”

“Kuwata-kun? What are you saying?”

“I’m saying we should actually be a class… Yeah! I mean, our Class Rep was pulled out, right? Maybe I should be the new one!”

“Ibuki fully supports Leon-chan!”

“Okay, well, now that that’s sorted, you wanna keep going?”

“Huh? Huh? I thought Leon-chan didn’t like this?”

“I never said I didn’t like it… You were gonna help me with the guitar, right?”

“Okie! You hold it like this!” She hopped up on the stage and showed him how to play a few beginner notes.

**Chiaki Nanami**

Chiaki woke up rather late, she had fallen asleep with Kamukura playing games again. She pulled herself out of her perfect bed and finished off the snacks he had prepared. Oh, jeez. She looked at her clock, she had already missed the group breakfast.

The Gamer did her daily inspection and got ready. She packed up some games and started towards the classroom. It was surprisingly hot for a mid-October Thursday, she started to regret wearing her hoodie.

“Nanami-san!” A pair of arms wrapped around her. “I’m so ‘hyped’ you could make it!”

“Sonia-san?” She looked around the room. Decorations littered the room, and a cake sat on the Princess’s desk. “What’s going on?”

“Huh? Did it slip your mind?” She giggled. There was a pile of gifts in the corner of the room. Realization dawned on her.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. With everything going on I forgot, I didn’t get you anyth-”

“It is ‘no problem’.”

“Well, when you didn’t come to us with plans last week, we figured something was up.” Kuzuryu-kun said, having gotten out the day before. “We decided not to bother you with it.”

“Well, I should still go get a gift. I’ll be right back!”

“There is no need. We all decided to chip in and get her a gift for you.” The Imposter stopped her.

“You guys, I-”

“Quit complaining, you got away with not getting her a gift.” Owari-san interrupted while scarfing down some food. “If any of us did, then you’d exile ‘em or something.”

Chiaki pouted, knowing she was right. “Seriously, you guys didn’t have to.”

“While, if you insist…” Komaeda-kun picked up a gift wrapped in a pixel pattern. “Then we should get rid of it.”

“Wait, no! If you guys are fine with it, then…” She pouted again. “I guess… I guess it’s okay.”

He placed the present back down. “Now then, if everyone is here, then we should start.”

“Ha! Let the festivities celebrating the birth of the Dark Princess begin!” Tanaka-kun bellowed. Sonia-san grabbed Chiaki and sat her down beside her. “Let us start with the talismans of appreciation!”

He pulled out the gift that everyone had gotten in Chiaki’s name. The Princess grabbed it and tore it open. The Gamer looked more excited to see the gift than her. “Oh wow!” Inside was a copy of ‘Super Princess Peach’. She stared at it with stars in her eyes. “That’s a total twist on the ‘damsel in distress’ genre, it’s perfect for Sonia-san!” Chiaki looked back up to see everyone staring at her. “I’m saying it's exactly what I would’ve gotten her.”

The princess blushed. “If you think it’s that good, then you have to show me how to play sometime.”

“I will!” She giggled.

“Well then, it is time for my offering!” Tanaka-kun produced a card with a tiger on the front. “Prepare yourself fiend! For what is contained is an artifact that shall grant you passage to my domain.” She opened the envelope and inside were two tickets to the zoo. “Only those with a strong enough will shall join me in my journey!”

“Tanaka-kun, this is perfect, I can’t wait for our ‘date’!”

He blushed intensely, pulling his scarf up. “This is not an invitation for a so-called ‘date’. This is a ticket that will grant you passage to my dark realm.” Soda-kun just grinned.

Everyone handed her their presents one by one, until only one remained. “Saving the best for last, I see!” Soda-kun smiled. He grabbed the last gift out of the pile. It was circular and poorly wrapped. He knelt down and presented it to her.

“Thank you, peasant!”

“P-peasant?”

“Let’s see…” She tore it open. Inside was a round metal ball with a touchscreen on front. “Hmm? What is this?”

“It’s a multi-purpose, all use, whatever-you-want machine! If you need anything, type it in!”

“Hmm… Okay…” She typed in the word ‘vacuum’ and it sprung to life. It rolled over to Owari-san’s feet and started sucking up the crumbs. After it finished, it rolled back to the Princess. “This is pretty ‘hip’.”

The Mechanic’s eyes lit up. “Really? You think so?”

“It’s kinda hot in here…” She tapped in ‘F’ ‘A’ ‘N’ and the top opened up. A caged fan popped out and started whirring.

‘Fu-fu-fu-fu-fu.’

Chiaki didn’t know why, but her heart started beating faster. She found her eyes trained on the fan.

‘Fu-fu-fu-fu-fu.’

Her left arm started to shake. Then her right. Then her whole body. She tried to close her eyes, but it didn’t work. She tried to do anything, but it didn’t work. All she could do was stare at the fan.

‘Fu-fu-fu-fu-fu.”

\-----

After a second, she was back in the maze. The Gamer started running, everything hurting. From her left, a buzzsaw shot out.

“Fu-fu-fu-fu-fu.”

It sliced through her arm and she fell to the ground. “Aww, it looks like our little Nanami-san couldn’t make it.” A face she hated was on a screen, mocking her.

Enoshima seemed to crawl out of the screen. She was now standing over her. “What a stupid, loser, gamer girl. How did anyone like you, _Nanami-san_?” Her voice distorted at her name.

The Despair crouched down and pinned her to the ground. She struggled against her grip to no avail. “No worries _Nanami-san_ , since you failed them, they all hate you now.”

She picked her up and hugged her tight. “But that’s okay, _Nanami-san_ , you still have me. And this maze. Forever and forever and forever and forever!”

Chiaki tried to break away but nothing worked. She started crying. “I’ve got you all to myself. Isn’t that right _Nanami-san!?_ ”

\-----

She blinked and she was back in the classroom, on the floor. Sonia-san was hugging her and was shouting her name. Chiaki blinked away a few tears. “Wh-what happened?”

“Nanami-san? Nanami-san are you okay?” She looked around to see everyone crowded around her.

“I… I was back… There.” She buried her face into the Princess’s shoulder, leaving a wet mark.

“Nanami-san, you’re okay.” Nidai-kun placed a hand on her shoulder. “Come here!” He wrapped both girls in a massive hug. Everyone else quickly joined in, forming a massive dogpile.

By the end, Chiaki felt herself getting crushed, but she didn’t stop them. She found herself giggling. After a few minutes, everyone dispersed. “Sorry Sonia-san…”

“Huh? Why?”

“Kinda screwed up your party, didn’t I?”

“Don’t say that!” She put her hand out, forming a pose like a video game character. “Just you being here makes the party great.”

They shared a giggle. “Thanks… I do need to tell Gekkogahara-san though.”

“Yeah, that makes sense… Come on, let’s get some cake before Owari-san eats it all.” They stood up and Sonia-san gave her the first slice.

“What happened to Soda-kun’s gift?” The Princess pointed to the circular hole in the window. “Oh…”

**Izuru Kamukura**

The night after the Princess’s party, they held one of their makeshift therapy sessions. Nanami had an apparent trigger from fans, seemingly from her encounters with buzzsaws down in the maze.

On Friday, he followed the routine he had developed. First, he’d check the cameras. Second, he’d patrol the underground section. Third, he’d return to the cameras. Finally, he’d go to Nanami’s room.

Right now, he was on the second step. He was taking the elevator back down to the maze. As it dinged open, he stepped out into the narrow hall. He followed the quickest path through. After a few minutes, his eyes were drawn to the thing they always were. The path of dried blood, staining the ground.

As he walked, it grew larger. Whether it was because of her own skill, her luck… or someone else’s. She had managed to take the shortest possible path to the exit. And in the process, avoided the most deadly traps.

He had figured that Enoshima had a back-up plan about Nanami actually reaching the end, but she hadn’t told him about the trap she had laid. And by doing so, ruining his unbiased test of Hope and Despair.

_But Nanami is alive._ That was the fact that ran through his head every time he walked down the path. Every time, he grew more confused. _Why? Why do I care so much?_ There was only one logical explanation, yet it was as illogical as everything else.

_He’s still in here._ When he first told her it was possible, he was still unsure. But when he started playing with her, he realized that she was right. The only person he could potentially ask was Matsuda Yasuke, but he was working on the Neo-World program. If he talked to him, he risked slowing or halting the development.

_Why should I care if it slows?_ He reached the door marked GOAL, opening it to the puddle of Munakata’s dried blood. When he reached it, he pictured Nanami lying there tortured, alone and betrayed. His face tensed up and he had to close his eyes.

_For her._

That was the answer to his questions. He entered the room he had set up base in. Opening his laptop, he brought up the cameras. He checked the perimeter of the school first. The protests by Enoshima’s fans had grown by twenty-two people, and four regulars were missing. 

He then did an interior check, all the guard rotations were regular. He had known that Sakakura had kept Yukizome, and had contemplated talking to her. He decided against it. Her actions were too hard to predict, as with Enoshima.

Finally, he switched to what he spent most of his time doing, watching Class 77-B. In particular, he watched Nanami. He watched closely. Everytime she smiled, his heartbeat fell out of rhythm. He watched her playing on her handheld, taking mental notes. A strange sense of competitiveness washing over him.

He figured she would likely not want him watching her like this, but he couldn’t stop himself. Eventually, the day ended and it came time for him to meet with her. He easily avoided the guards and entered her room. “Hey Kamukura-kun!”

“Hello.”

“I was thinking we could try something different today.” He shot her an inquisitive look. “Maybe we could try co-op.”

“That would be illogical. It would be extremely easy.”

“So? If we’re playing together then it has to be fun, right?”

He gave her a neutral look, before relenting and grabbing the controller. She hit play and they started. The game seemed to be set in a laboratory. He was playing as a short round robot with a blue eye and she was playing as a taller one with an orange eye.

He was right, together they cleared through the game in about two hours. But she was also right. Somehow, just playing with her alleviated his boredom. Whether it be the jokes she made throughout or the fact it was her, it was interesting.

“You act most illogically.”

“You’ve said that.” She smiled as she was sorting through for another game.

He thought for a second. “Did you have romantic feelings for Hinata?”

“Huh?” She flushed a bright pink. “Wh-what do you mean?”

“I believe he had such feelings for you.”

Her expression changed to one he had never seen from her. She looked mad. “If he did, then why’d he leave?”

“I-”

“If he did, then why’d he do this.”

“I do not know. But I believe he did nonetheless.”

She looked down quietly. “To answer your question, I dunno… I think… I think I did.”

“Hmm.”

“Huh? What does that mean?”

“You know the project I told you about?” She nodded. “When it’s finished, I will go through with it.”

“Wait, if you do, and it works, then what will happen to you?”

“Hinata will return to his body.”

“But what about you?”

He blinked. “Why would you care? I was a part of what happened to you.”

“Don’t forget you saved my life.” He gave her a blank stare. “When you took me to that hospital room and patched me up. If you weren’t there, I probably would’ve died…”

She was right. He hadn’t thought about it but she would have likely died from blood loss. “I see… But I do not know how that correlates.”

“I guess… I guess this is how I see it. You aren’t Hinata-kun… But you’re not not Hinata-kun either. You’re somewhere in between.”

“Other than our body, I see nothing in common.”

“Well, you’re both my friend, right?” Hearing her call him her friend, it spurred something in him.

“I see… I will still go through with it, but for a different reason.”

“What reason?”

He looked towards the screen. “…” She pouted. “Could we play another game?”

“Okay… I guess.”

Together, they played until she fell asleep. He placed her into her bed and left her there. Outside, he clenched his fist. Once again, she perplexed him. If she was attracted to Hinata, then why wouldn’t she want him back. _Why is she concerned about me?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanna thank you all for the support and kind words. It’s really nice to hear and it helps motivate me to keep writing.


	10. Meeting

**Ryota Mitarai**

Ryota had ended up staying with the Imposter. It was the room he was used to and he decided that he’d rather stay with the only person he knew cared about him. “You look down… Is something bothering you?” He asked, as he placed on Togami’s visage.

It was Ryota who’d suggested the Heir’s disguise. “No, it’s nothing… I’m fine.”

“Hey, if you don’t want to tell me, then don’t… But please know that I’m here for you.”

“I…” The Animator clenched his fist. He couldn’t run away anymore, not even from himself. “I just… I don’t think they like me.”

The Imposter looked confused. “Who do you mean?” He asked in the polite tone he only seemed to use with three people. Him, Nanami and Tsumiki.

“Well… Everyone.” He frowned. “Class 77-B and…” He trailed off, realizing that he couldn’t even tell him about the Neo World Program.

He knelt down, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Mitarai-kun, you saved Nanami-san’s life, they couldn’t not like you.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about…” He paused. “It just seems that they only ever talk to me about that…”

“What is it?”

“Do they like me for me? Or do they just tolerate me because I saved her?”

The usually stoic Imposter looked at a loss for words. “Mitarai-kun…”

“Are they mad because I helped Enoshima?”

“You just contradicted yourself.”

“Huh?”

“You are worried that they would hate you for being tricked into working for… her, yet you wish that they don’t define you by your actions. That is a contradiction.”

“I… I still don’t… I just wish they’d try to get to know me…”

“Then you should try to get to know them. You can’t just wait for them to get to know you without trying to get close to them.”

Ryota just nodded. “We should get going, breakfast is soon.” They stood up and left together. They entered the dining hall and grabbed some food.

He took his usual seat, slightly detached from the group. Most of the time the Imposter would sit next to him, but not this time, he took a seat next to Nanami. After a few minutes of talking he couldn’t quite make out, she stood up. She was clutching her cane in one hand and trying to balance her food and console in the other.

She took a seat to him and set down her game. “I… I think this is a little overdue.” The Gamer turned to him. She closed her eyes and leaned forward, planting a kiss on his cheek. They both immediately flushed red. Everyone’s eyes were on them.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“Well, in games the hero who saves the girl is usually rewarded with a kiss… So I thought… I guess I see why that only happens in games.”

“Well, it doesn’t just happen in games, there’s a lot of anime like that too.” He was trying to find a way to excuse what just happened.

“Could it be! Could it be! Does Chiaki-chan have a crush on Ryota-chan?”

“N-no! I just… It’s just a cliche, I guess.” She looked uncomfortable.

“It’s nothing, really! You know how she is with games…” He tried to defend their honour.

“Hey, everyone, let’s leave them alone.” Sonia tried to help.

“Yeah, we should listen to Miss Sonia.”

“Psh, fine.” Saionji grumbled.

After that, everyone returned to their conversations. “Hey, Mitarai-kun, I just realized something.”

“Huh? Please don’t kiss me again. I mean, it was nice, but really awkward…”

“We’ve never played a game together.” She giggled.

“I, uh, I guess that’s true…”

“You should come by my room later, we can play a game.”

“Are you sure that’s okay? I mean, I’m a guy and all…”

She pouted. “You’re starting to sound like Hanamura-kun. Are you gonna come or not?”

“If you want me to, I guess.”

She smiled and they finished eating. “Okay, let’s go!”

Ryota stood up and followed her to her room. Inside, the first thing he noticed were the various consoles around the room. Some he recognised, but most he didn’t. On her walls were some game posters. “This definitely looks like the Ultimate Gamer’s room…”

“Come on, sit down.” She patted on her bed. “There are a few games I think you’d like.”

This was the most enthusiastic he’d ever seen her. She passed a controller to him and pulled out a game. It was a visual novel he had never seen an adaptation for. She put it in a console and sat next to him. “Huh? I thought we were playing together?”

“We are. Even though you’re the one playing, we’re still together… We’re sharing the memory, right?”

“That’s… Philosophical…” He pressed start.

“Well, Yukizome-sensei taught me that. You never got to meet her, did you?” 

“I… I did, but only for a minute…”

“When?” She looked confused.

“After Komaeda was shot and I ran out… I bumped into her, and I told her you were down there. She told me something though… She said she’d watch my anime afterwards…”

“Well, she’s always kept her promises to me… So I have no reason to think she wouldn’t do the same for you.”

“You really think so?”

“Yeah, I bet the school has a team working on a way to fix it already.” That took Ryota back. _Does she know about the Neo World Program? No, it’s probably a lucky guess._

He looked at her. “Hey, Nanami. You look nervous about something…”

“Oh, it’s nothing… It’s just the Steering Committee, they want to meet with me.”

“About what?”

“I dunno… It’s probably just that my new school uniform is ready.”

“I guess that makes sense…” For some reason, he felt nervous.

He played through the game for a while, Nanami occasionally commenting on his mistakes. After he reached a place to save, he placed the controller down. “Hey, Mitarai-kun.”

“Yeah?”

“I talked to the Imposter… You really don’t need to worry about that.”

“He told you?”

“Listen, of course they like you for you… Yeah, you saved my life, but they know you’re more than that… And I know too.”

“I-”

“But that doesn’t mean I’m ever going to stop thanking you. And I don’t think they will either.”

“Nanami… I’m sorry.”

“About what?”

“I-I… I thought you’d take it as I regret saving you…”

She replied by wrapping her arms around him. “It’s okay… Maybe I could watch your anime sometime.”

“Okay, just don’t kiss me again.”

She started laughing. He quickly joined her. “Thank you… Thank you for allowing me to be your friend.” She looked up to the clock. “Crap, I gotta go, I’d rather not be late for the Steering Committee.”

“Yeah… See you around.”

She grabbed her cane and opened her door. “I trust you and all… But you probably shouldn’t be in my room alone.”

“Oh, yeah, I should go…” He stood up and followed her out. When she walked off, he clenched his fist. The first real meeting for the Neo World Program was that night.

**Juzo Sakakura**

Juzo had ended up sleeping on the couch after he had let Yukizome out. After the first night, where she had tried to sleep with him, he decided that it would be easier. The one benefit to letting her out was that she would clean his apartment. “Jeez Juzo-chan, with your best friend being the Ultimate Housekeeper, you’d think you’d keep your place clean.” She mocked.

The Boxer was doing up his tie. “Yeah, I’ve been a little busy these past few weeks.” At least she still had a passion for cleaning, a point in the ‘she’s still in there’ category.

She gave him a playful smile. “Oh, well. I guess that explains it.” Juzo stepped out the door. He started towards his post. The protests by Enoshima’s fans were growing daily now.

They were holding signs with anti-Hope’s Peak messages. ‘School of ~~Hope~~ _Lies _’ ‘Boycott Hope’s Peak’ ‘Enoshima did nothing wrong’. Many were also holding signs with Nanami’s face with an X over it.__

__It took all of Juzo’s self control not to punch them all. “Hey Securityboy! Over here!” A kid with a strong build and short black hair had hopped the gate. “The name’s Hiromasa Shinichi, and you’re gonna let me in, now.”_ _

__“I can’t do that.”_ _

__“Oh yeah? Why not? I mean, I am an Ultimate.” Juzo shot him an unimpressed look. “Yeah, I’m the Ultimate Director! So lemme in now!” He grinned._ _

__“You are a protestor, I cannot let you in.”_ _

__“Psh, you think I’m with these losers? Nah, I just need to claim my rightful spot at the Academy.”_ _

__“And how do you plan to do that?”_ _

__“There’s a student who has a spot that belongs to me. I just need to remove her and it’ll be mine.” Juzo looked at his sign, then back to him. “I mean, how is ‘gaming’ even a talent?” Juzo shot forward, delivering a swift punch to his gut._ _

__He wrapped his hand around the kid’s neck and lifted him up. “As the Head of Security at Hope’s Peak Academy, I cannot tolerate a direct threat to one of it’s students.” His hands shot up to his throat, trying to pry his way out. Juzo waited a few seconds before dropping him._ _

__He collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. “You asshole…” He jumped up and threw a punch to Juzo’s stomach. It barely knocked him back. The Boxer grabbed him by the face and lifted him back up._ _

__“You think you’re the first one who wanted in the academy while still being a talentless prick?” His mind flashed back to Hinata, dropping his grip. What if he was creating another Kamukura? Juzo dodged a punch. “You don’t learn your lesson, do you?”_ _

__A grin flashed on his face and the crowd grew louder. He threw another punch and Juzo dodged. The self proclaimed Director took that chance to dash past him. The Boxer spun around to see where he was running. _The dorms.__ _

__Juzo took off after him, slightly gaining on him. He reached the doors and threw them open. Nanami was standing right there, surprised. “There you are!” He brought his fist back for a punch._ _

__That was stopped by Juzo putting him in a headlock. “Sorry about this…” The kid in his arms struggled, trying to reach her. “This asshole said your spot was rightfully his…”_ _

__“Why?”_ _

__“I dunno, not the first one of these guys I’ve had to deal with. You have any idea why he wanted your spot?”_ _

__“No… He looks familiar, but I don’t know him.” The director reached out, placing his hand centimetres from her face. Juzo tightened his grip around his neck, knocking him out. “Is… Is he dead?”_ _

__“Huh? No, he’s just unconscious.”_ _

__“Oh, in games when a brawler class does that, it’s usually a one-hit KO.” Not knowing what she was talking about, he just nodded along. “Well, uh, thanks… I guess. I should get going now.”_ _

__“Wait, isn’t it Saturday? Where are you going?”_ _

__“Oh, the Steering Committee wanted to see me. It’s probably about my new uniform.” Anxiety bubbled up inside Juzo. What if they want to cover up the loose ends? What if they were working with Enoshima? What if- “Why’d you wanna know?”_ _

__He grunted and bit his lip. “I’m the Head of Security. You going to a meeting without my knowledge… I guess I’m just still on edge.”_ _

__“Oh, it’ll be fine.” She smiled and nodded. “I wouldn’t throw away this shot you got me…”_ _

__“Yeah, okay, just… Just stay safe.”_ _

__“I will, I promise… I do gotta get going though, and you should probably take care of him.” She pointed to the unconscious kid he was holding. Juzo nodded and started walking away. When he reached the gate, he threw down the kid and stood back on guard. His concerns about her meeting were flying around his head._ _

__

__**Chiaki Nanami** _ _

__Chiaki was climbing the stairs toward her meeting. She had told Mitarai-kun and Sakakura-san that it was probably just about her new uniform, but she didn’t really believe that. Why would the Steering Committee bother meeting her about that? As she rose, her nerves grew._ _

__By the time she reached the floor, her hand was aching. It was the most stairs she’d climbed since… Maybe even ever. She walked up to the door and gently opened it._ _

__Inside was a tall room with four pedestals looming over her. On those pedestals were four men of varying builds. The whole aspect was very intimidating. “H-hey, sorry I’m late, I had to climb-”_ _

__“Be quiet.” The shortest one proclaimed. “Do you know how much trouble you’ve caused us?”_ _

__Her fears bubbled up inside her. She opted not to reply. “There is something you are going to do for us.” The balding one commanded._ _

__“Enoshima’s trial is coming up.” The tallest one stated. “You will say you made up the whole thing. And gave yourself the wounds in a fit of jealousy”_ _

__“What? I can’t say th-”_ _

__“Shut up. You will do as you’re told, or we will find another way to silence you.” The heavy set one threatened._ _

__“I-” If she did that, Enoshima would go free and come after her again. She would go after her friends. “I can’t-”_ _

__“Leave. Now. We are done with you.” She was shaking. Absentmindedly, she limped out. Outside, she fell against the wall. She dug her head into her hands. Her heart started beating extremely fast and she felt like she couldn’t breathe._ _

__“Nanami.” She looked up to see red eyes staring back at her._ _

__“Kamukura-kun, th-they want me to-”_ _

__“Not here, you can tell me in your room.”_ _

__“O-okay…” She tried to move, but found herself too tired to. “I… I think that was too many stairs.”_ _

__He nodded in understanding. He scooped her up and started down the stairwell. The warmth she felt from him was almost distracting enough. The way he was holding her was so comfortable, and the gentle bob from him walking down the staircase… She felt safe._ _

__“Nanami.” She opened her eyes._ _

__“Huh?” Chiaki blinked a few times. “What happened?” She was lying in her bed and he was sitting at the end._ _

__“As I was taking you down the stairs, you fell unconscious. It appears you had just fallen asleep.”_ _

__“Oh, yeah…” She yawned. “Oh… Yeah…”_ _

__“You wanted to tell me what the Steering Committee said.”_ _

__“They said I… I had to say I made up the whole thing… At Enoshima’s trial.”_ _

__He clenched his jaw. “That would drastically speed up her plans. We can’t let that happen.”_ _

__“They said if I didn’t, they’d find a way to silence me…”_ _

__“I will take care of them.” He stood up._ _

__“Wait, what do you mean by that?” He looked at her with a blank expression. “You can’t kill them… Because killing is wrong, no matter what!”_ _

__“You said something similar when you first encountered Enoshima.” He looked angry, it was the most emotion she’d ever seen from him. Well, him as Kamukura. “If you had known what would have happened, would you have still stopped Komaeda?”_ _

__“I…” She wanted to blurt out ‘of course’ but she realized it wasn’t that simple. “I… I don’t know…”_ _

__His expression returned to neutral. “I will not kill them… But they will not stop your testimony.”_ _

__“Thank you… Do you want to play a game?”_ _

__He paused for a second before nodding. “Could we play the first one again?”_ _

__“Gala Omega? Okay!” She shuffled through her pile of games, until she found it. “Time for a rematch.”_ _

__She put it into her console and handed over a controller. The title screen flashed on and she hit play. They played for a while, their skill seemingly even. After she won, tying their score at fourteen wins each, he put down the controller. “I will be going now.”_ _

__“Really? Aw man…” He stood up and moved to her door. “Wait…”_ _

__He looked back at her. “Yes?”_ _

__“There’s something you said earlier… That it would ‘speed up’ her plans. Does that mean she still has plans for me?”_ _

__He pursed his lips, as if he realized he said something he shouldn’t have. “I believe so.” A wave of discomfort washed over her. “But I may be wrong, I find her unpredictable, like you.” Being equated to Enoshima just made her feel worse._ _

__“If we’re both unpredictable, why me?” His eyes widened._ _

__“I… I…” He did something she never expected. Tears started flowing from his eyes. “I don’t know.” He started trembling._ _

__Chiaki started towards him. She accidentally put her weight on her right foot, and she fell to her knees. He knelt down and hugged her. “Kamukura-kun…”_ _

__“I won’t let her hurt you, not again.” She fell into him. Once again, she felt safe. His tears stopped and they stayed like that for a while._ _

___Knock knock._ They snapped out of their trance. She whispered to him. “You need to hide.” He looked at her, back to his usual expression. He stood up and turned to the door. “Huh? Wait!”_ _

__He opened it. “Heh, just my luck…” Komaeda-kun was standing there. “I doubt you would want to talk with scum like me, but I would like to talk to you both.”_ _

__“Komaeda-kun? Do you know him?”_ _

__“We’ve talked.” He smiled. “Do you mind if I come in?”_ _

__“I… Okay…”_ _

__He stepped in and helped Chiaki off the floor. The Lucky Student sat her on the bed. “Thank you…”_ _

__Kamukura-kun took a seat on her desk chair and Komaeda-kun remained standing. “What do you want?”_ _

__“Nanami-san,” He looked at her. “Has he ever hurt you?”_ _

__“No… I think…”_ _

__“Has he threatened you?”_ _

__“No.”_ _

__“Good.”_ _

__“Why are you asking?” Kamukura-kun asked, his eyes locked on him._ _

__“Am I not allowed to make sure our class rep is okay?”_ _

__“It would be more effective if you asked those questions while I was gone.”_ _

__He replied with a grin. “You seem more protective of her than I am.”_ _

__He remained silent. “Hey, uh, maybe we can just play a game together.”_ _

__“Heh, you’re still the same person… Hoping everyone will be your friend just by playing a game with them.”_ _

__Chiaki couldn’t say she didn’t miss him during his suspension, but she didn’t miss him sometimes being a jerk. “It worked for everyone, it even worked for Kamukura-kun.”_ _

__“What about Enoshima, do you think she would be your friend?”_ _

__“That’s… That’s different.”_ _

__“Well, it’s not like scum like me would know.” He turned to the other person. “Do you still have the gun?”_ _

__Kamukura-kun blinked. “I do.”_ _

__“Good, hold on to it, this attack of despair on your hope is not over yet.” He turned to leave._ _

__“Wait, you’re going?”_ _

__“Heh, I doubt you’d want scum like me hanging around you.” He opened her door. “Good luck.” And he left._ _

__“What was that all about?” Chiaki mused._ _

__The former reserve course student stood up. “I think I know…” He looked away._ _

__“You… You don’t need to go through with the project thing…”_ _

__“I will.”_ _

__“Can you at least tell me why?”_ _

__He looked at her. “You asked earlier why you were different than Enoshima. It is possible, though unlikely, I will be drawn back to her… If I can prevent that, then I will.”_ _

__The thought that he could go back to her scared Chiaki, but he said it was unlikely. “I… It’s your decision, I guess…” He nodded and stood up, following Komaeda-kun out. The Gamer sat there, hoping she made the right decision. She decided to just play some games._ _

__

__**Ryota Mitarai** _ _

__It was nearing midnight, and it was almost time for the next meeting. He walked into the old building. He made his way into the library and waited for everyone to arrive. The first was Kimura._ _

__“Hey, I’m glad you came…” He could make out a smile beneath her mask._ _

__“Yeah, I was scared I was the only one taking this seriously.” She said in a quiet voice._ _

__“I felt the same.”_ _

__The next person was Matsuda. He quickly grabbed a book and sat down. Finally, Fujisaki and Gekkogahara arrived together._ _

__“Hey, did you figure out how to get up the stairs?”_ _

__Usami popped on the screen. “Not yet! Fujisaki-san helped me up.”_ _

__“Huh? Why didn’t you come get me?”_ _

__“She’s actually pretty strong, even if she doesn’t look it.”_ _

__The Programmer blushed. “Thank you…”_ _

__“Okay, now that everyone’s here, I guess we should start.”_ _

__“If you don’t mind, I’ll start.” Kimura said, timidly. “I’ve started researching and it looks like there is a possible drug that could stimulate the brain into allowing a Virtual Reality world to exist like that.”_ _

__“That’s really good. Fujisaki, what about you?”_ _

__“I’ve started the base coding for the world. This is a pretty complicated process though… Today is October 15th, right?” Everyone nodded. “I think it’ll take until December until it’s finished.”_ _

__“Okay, that’s fine… Matsuda, what have you looked at?”_ _

__He sighed, looking up from his book. “I’ve been working on memory resetting techniques. I think the best way for the brainwashing to go away is for the affected to be set back to the day they entered Hope’s Peak.”_ _

__“Why the first day?”_ _

__“If we are setting this on the island, we need a reason for them to be there, no? If they woke up there, they would worry. We want this to be a therapeutic experience. If they worried, it would dampen that effect.”_ _

__

__“But why the first day?”_ _

__“We are planning on putting Tsumiki and Yukizome through, right? If those two woke up alone on a strange island, they’re relationship would get in the way.”_ _

__“He’s right!” Usami bounced. “They should be set before they knew each other!”_ _

__“Okay… Gekkogahara, what did you find?”_ _

__“Well, I figured that if they are stuck in there, they should have somebody looking over them, right?”_ _

__“What do you mean?” Kimura asked._ _

__“I mean, if they are reset to their first day, then get stuck on an island… They would likely have distrust in each other.”_ _

__“So they can’t know each other, but they can’t not know each other either?”_ _

__“I think there should be an Artificial Intelligence, an observer. A trustable face watching over them.”_ _

__Fujisaki’s eyes lit up. “That’s a great idea! I’m actually working on an AI right now!”_ _

__“I was thinking the observer could be me!” Usami pointed to herself._ _

__“You think a talking rabbit will ease their concerns?” Matsuda commented._ _

__“Yup! I’m the loveable Magical Miracle Girl Usami!”_ _

__“Whatever, we can discuss that later… When the program is done.”_ _

__“Okay!”_ _

__“Well, if nobody has anything else to add, then I guess this meeting is dismissed.”_ _

__Matsuda slid his book back into the bookcase and walked out. The other three left soon after, leaving Ryota alone. He sighed and stood up. _December?_ He frowned. He wanted to go up to Nanami and tell her, ‘Everyone can be helped, it’ll be a week.’ _ _

__Ryota started towards the door. He was stopped by a massive figure standing over him. “Mitarai, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but you don’t look like the type to have a midnight book club.” Sakakura said in a warm voice._ _

__“I… I’m sorry, I can’t say…”_ _

__“Listen, it’s this, or I tell the rest of security.”_ _

__“Okay, it’s… We’re working on a way to help Tsumiki and Yukizome-sensei.”_ _

__The Boxer looked surprised. “You… You think you can help them?”_ _

__“It’s a VR rehabilitation system…”_ _

__“Not quite sure what that means but okay… If you don’t want anyone to know, I won’t tell.” He turned to leave._ _

__“Wait, I want to ask you something.” He looked back. “Where is Yukizome-sensei? You said you were going to take her to the police, but…”_ _

__“I kept her hidden…”_ _

__“That’s… Is she okay?”_ _

__“Well clearly not okay… But she’s not hurt.”_ _

__“I think that’s better, actually. If she’s with you, she can be put in the program when it’s finished.”_ _

__“Mitarai… Thank you.” He walked away, leaving the Animator alone. Ryota followed. He quietly snuck back into his and the Imposter’s room. He was extremely tired, so he didn’t have trouble falling asleep. The last thing he thought was how he had to save everyone._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter was kinda boring, it was just necessary for foreshadowing and exposition.
> 
> On the other hand, thank you all so much for 1000 hits. [Insert monologue about how I never expected this]. Seriously though, it’s really cool to see this grow so big.


	11. Preparation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, back from the store. Oh wait, it's been six months? Still beat my dad home.
> 
> Jokes aside, sorry for the wait. It's somewhat personal reasons which I probably shouldn't get into. But mostly just procrastination and laziness. Hope I didn't disappoint.

**Izuru Kamukura**

The first was walking alone to his apartment, he was easy. The second was harder, he had a meeting with the headmaster about their discussion about Nanami. When he stepped out, he wrapped his arm around the man’s throat and exerted pressure on both of his carotid arteries, knocking him unconscious in fifteen seconds.

The third was sitting with a group of trustees. Izuru waited outside for him to finish his meeting. Afterwards, he pulled out a syringe and performed an intramuscular injection of 150 milligrams of ketamine.

The final was alone in his apartment. Izuru let himself in. He was pouring himself a drink as he entered. He turned around to see him, clearly taken aback. “I… You… Why are you here?”

Izuru didn’t reply.

“A-are you here to kill me?”

“…” He continued staring him down.

“Did you kill the others?” He reached into a drawer, pulling out a knife. “I’ll have you know I know self defence.” He lunged at him. Izuru caught his arm, throwing him to the ground.

“You loaded me with every known talent. It is illogical for a talentless person like yourself to believe he could harm me.”

He climbed to his knees, clasping his hands to his chest. “Please, it was all the others' ideas, I never wanted to do this to you. I won’t tell anyone I saw you here, I swe-” Izuru grabbed the bottle of alcohol and brought it down against the man’s head in one fluid motion.

He picked up the unconscious man and slung him across his shoulder. Izuru left the apartment complex and started to return to the Academy. Dawn washed over as he snuck in. He descended into the underground and opened the massive red door. He took the elevator down and entered the area with the others.

He sat him down and pulled the ammonia inhalants out of his suit pocket. He cracked one under each man’s nose, allowing them to awake. The tallest one was the first one to regain his senses. “Ugh… I…” He looked around, his eyes widening. “Wh… Here? Are you going to…”

“If you don’t comply.”

The others slowly opened their eyes. “What do you want from us?”

“Step down.”

The heavy-set one’s expression turned angry. “Do you know how much I sacrificed to get here, I can’t step down.”

“You will, or you will be sent through here.” He motioned to the maze behind him.

“Why not just kill us?” The shortest one protested.

“I have my reasons.”

“Fuck this, I came through here and know all of the traps are disabled.” The one with a pistachio face stood up. He pushed past Izuru and started into the maze. About five steps in, his foot sunk into the floor. An iron ball shot out, hitting his knee. He shouted out in pain, falling to the ground.

“I have entirely re-armed the maze. If you doubt me, go ahead.”

“My fucking knee.” He shouted, clutching his injured leg to his chest.

“Alright, I’ll step down.” The tallest one frowned.

“I’ll follow him…” The shortest one agreed.

“Shit, fine, I’ll step down.” The injured one nodded.

The final one closed his eyes before nodding. Izuru stood up. “Good.” He opened the elevator and helped them all in. “If even one of you decides to disobey, I will not give another chance.”

They all stared at each other in understanding. “Just… Let us go… Please.”

Izuru stared him down. “You will live, if you do as I say.” They all went quiet. As they reached the top, he dragged them out. “Go.”

They all staggered out, leaving the injured one. After they were out of sight, he returned underground.

**Ryota Mitarai**

Ryota was up early along with the Imposter. A knock at their door brought them up. He was the one to open it. “Hello?” A man he didn’t recognise was standing there. He had short tan hair, which looked recently cut, and a matching suit. “Who are you?”

“Ah, my name’s Ryuichi Naruhodo…”

“And why are you here.” The Imposter asked.

“Oh yeah, I’m the former Ultimate Lawyer… I’m here about the Enoshima case.”

“Oh… I guess I’m a pretty big part of that.”

“No worries.” He chuckled. “I’m not here for a testimony or anything.”

“So… Why are you here?”

“Well, I found out that you designed the brainwashing technology. And there’s one piece of evidence I think you could help with.”

“Huh?”

“Well, there is a copy of the video showing Enoshima doing those things to that poor girl… What I’m saying is that it’s saved and recorded.”

“So you can present it?”

“Not quite. It still has traces of the brainwashing in it, so no-one can view it. But you designed the technology, so maybe you can find a way to counteract it… And they said that it has a lesser effect on those who have already viewed it.”

“I’ll do it. If there’s any way I can stop her, I will do it.”

“Heh, that’s the spirit.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a USB. “Here’s the video… Enoshima has a pretty strong legal team, so if you can do this… I’d really appreciate it.”

He closed the door and Ryota spun around and dashed to his computer. “Hey, are you sure about this? I… I don’t think I could watch that again.” The Imposter voiced his concerns.

“I don’t have a choice. I need to make sure Enoshima can’t get out. I need irrefutable evidence.”

“I won’t stop you, but I advise against this.”

“I know, but I have to do this.”

The Imposter nodded and left his room. Ryota plugged in the drive and sorted through the files. He clicked twice on the video labeled MazeOfDespair.mp4.

It started with Nanami, looking terrified, in an elevator. When the doors opened, a monitor flashed on and showed a pixelated version of her being dragged off. It was followed by a flash of the words ‘Maze of Despair’, subtitled by ‘Chiaki Nanami’s Punishment’.

Punishment for what? What did she ever do to you? Ryota clenched his fist. He blinked a few tears out of his eyes and continued. She stood up and started looking out into the maze. Enoshima’s face flicked on and started saying how she had to get through to ever see her friends again.

Her face filled with a new determination and she started running through the maze. She ran for what felt like forever. Ryota hovered the mouse a bit, he was already forty minutes in, out of two hours. Eventually, twenty minutes later, the moment he was dreading came. The saw came up from the ground, as he remembered. She dodged to the left and another came from the wall. He closed his eyes as she screamed.

She continued running, tears in her eyes. Another ten minutes passed and she came upon the pressure plate. She stumbled back, clutching her foot. She clambered to her feet and started limping forwards. Even though he knew the outcome, Ryota was terrified.

Everything happened much faster afterward. She couldn’t dodge anymore, so she just continued. The metal balls shot out, hitting her arm and forehead. She closed her right eye and clutched her left arm. Even through this all, she powered forward.

Enoshima stated that she had ten seconds without any traps. After the first three, a spear shot through her leg. Ryota wanted to punch her porcelain face. Soon, the monitors switched off. This is when she left for Sakakura and Munakata, right? Nanami-san seemed empowered by this, moving faster.

She reached the door marked GOAL and reached for the handle. The screen went blank, showing the replay button. Ryota’s face was reflected back at him, tears streaming from his eyes.

He moved the file into his animation program, overwriting his current project. That wasn’t important right now. He increased the brightness, revealing the effect. Ryota started the process of scrubbing the brainwashing. The first frame of her face was motivation enough to clear it all.

**Chiaki Nanami**

Chiaki sat up, stretching and yawning. She did her daily morning routine and headed to the dining hall. Once there, she sat down and pulled out a game. “Hey Nanami-san, do you mind if I sit here?”

“I don’t, Imposter…-kun?”

“That works.” He sat down, creaking the chair a bit.

“If you were wondering, I’m not gonna kiss Mitarai-kun again.”

“I wasn’t.” He looked upset. “It’s just… I’m worried about him.”

Chiaki looked up and scanned the room for the Animator. “Where is he?”

“He’s in our room. I’d rather talk about it in private, though.”

“Okay… But can we eat first.”

“Yeah.” He looked at his massive plate of food. “I wouldn’t waste this, ever.”

She ate her food and left with the Imposter. They entered his room and he motioned her to Mitarai-kun’s end. On the screen was a sight that terrified her. It was a still image of Chiaki running through the maze, although brightened.

“What…?”

“Huh? Nanami? Why are you here?” He barely glanced up before turning back to the screen.

“I…” She trailed off.

“I told her I was worried about you.”

“I thought you said you wouldn’t stop me.”

“What are you doing?” Chiaki asked.

“You know how Enoshima’s case is coming up? If I can clear the effect off of this video, there will be undeniable proof.”

“Mitarai-kun, you don’t need to do that…”

“Yes, I do. I need to make sure she can’t ever do this to anyone again.”

“But…” She realized she couldn’t argue.

“But why do you have to do it?” The Imposter finished.

“I… Because I designed the technique… If it weren’t for me, Tsumiki and Yukizome would be okay… And so would Munakata… And none of this would have happened.”

“But this isn’t your fault, she lied to you. If it wasn’t you, she would have found another way.”

“Just… Let me do this…”

“I… You don’t…” She struggled for words. He frowned and returned to his work. Her hand reached out and grabbed the end of his chair. “Mitarai-kun, stop!” She spun it around, so that he was facing her.

“Why can’t you let me do this!? What can’t you just let me help?” He stood, eye-level with her. “Have you forgotten what she did to you!? If you have, boy do I have a video to show you!” He motioned back at the screen.

Chiaki stumbled back, almost tripping before the Imposter caught her. They were caught in a dead stare, none of them moving. They stayed there for what felt like ages. The tension was broken after a knock came from the door. All eyes quickly shot over, the Imposter eventually opening it.

“This room… This doesn’t feel very hopeful at all…” Komaeda-kun stepped in, glancing between the three.

Everyone stood uncomfortably, waiting for someone else to speak. “Why are you here?” The Animator mumbled.

“I ran into a strange person when I was leaving my room this morning. He said his name was Ryuichi Naruhodo.”

“Yeah, so what? He’s the former Ultimate Lawyer. And he isn’t that strange.” Mitarai-kun pushed his hand through his hair.

A wave of realisation washed over her. “Wait! It’s a trap!” She belted out, recapturing his attention.

“Ah! Our beloved class rep has realised, I’d expect nothing less from the Ultimate Gamer!” Komaeda belted out.

“What? What do you mean?” Mitarai-kun questioned.

“That name, it’s fake.” Chiaki confirmed. She took a seat, typing in the name. Instantly a game series popped up. “Ace Attorney, a long lasting franchise that has wonderful brand recognition. And it’s main character…” She pointed at the text on the screen, reading off the name.

“No way… I…” He looked away. “I’m sorry…”

“Hm… That means… If it was a trick, the plan must have been…” The Imposter trailed off.

“To get you to destroy the evidence yourself. It’s such a despairing plan, I could almost die.” Komaeda-kun concluded.

“If that guy truly is the Ultimate Lawyer, he must be Enoshima’s.” The Imposter continued. “I’m sorry I couldn’t see through his disguise…”

Chiaki stood, unsure what to say. “Dammit.” The Animator yelled, before dashing out of the room. She moved to go after him, but was stopped by the Imposter’s hand.

**Juzo Sakakura**

Her trial was to be in a day, and he was going to be called as a primary witness. “Awhh… Juzo-chan! What do you mean I can’t come with you?” Yukizome-san complained while cleaning up a spilled glass of water. She had taken to making messes, just to clean them a second later. Juzo didn’t know whether it was just to keep herself occupied, or something else.

“You know why.” He frowned.

“I really don’t Juzo-chan, please tell me.” She then knocked her glass onto the ground, shattering it. “Oops~”

“First of all, I can’t trust you not to do something stupid. Second, if you’re seen out, you’ll get arrested on the spot. And if I’m seen out with you, so will I.”

“You’re so mean. You know all I’d do is slice into Enoshima-sama’s head! And slice again, and slice, and slice, and slice.” Out of nowhere, she grabbed a shard of glass and dove at him.

He barely had second to react and stepped to the side. “Gah-!” He let out as the shard pierced his arm.

“Uh oh, that looks bad.” She said as she quietly sat back at the table. “You should probably get that checked out.”

“What the hell! Bastard…” He tore out the piece and rolled up his sleeve.

“Here, lemme help!” She shot back up and pulled out a sewing needle. Before he could protest, she was already stitching his arm. She quickly finished, sitting him back in his chair. “There we go, all better now.”

“Goddamn it…” He was beginning to forget that he was still housing a psychopath, not just his friend.

“It really sucks that I can’t go, y’know. I was thinking I could wear my old uniform, we could go as a pair, y’know.” She pouted. “If you wanted I could dress up as a guy, that way nobody would recognise me, and you’d get what you want.” She winked.

“Cut it out. Nanami’s gonna be there. Even if you were the Ultimate Imposter, something tells me she’d still know it was you.” Her expression changed at the name, even if only for a second.

“Psh, you’re no fun. I thought you liked taking risks.” She crossed her arms.

“I’ve gotta get back to my shift, don’t get any ideas.” He said getting up, clutching his arm. “And stay here.”

“Got it, dad.” She rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say.”

“Hmph.” He switched to a not blood soaked shirt and headed out. With the trial in two days, he had a few things to investigate. First was why three of the four steering committee members resigned simultaneously, and why one’s leg was broken. More importantly were the three people called in as a witness. Nanami, for obvious reasons. Himself, as the head of security. And finally Naegi Makoto. That’s who he needed to find out about. And he had a connection to his class.

**Leon Kuwata**

“So, uh, Kuwata-kun, why are we here?” Naegi-kun asked, an innocent tone in his voice.

“Beats me, all I know is I was asked to come out here, and to bring you.” He crossed his arms, knowing how suspicious this all sounded.

“Erm, alright.” He scratched the back of his head. “Did you happen to get a time, or a name?”

“He should be here in a few minutes, and no, I didn’t. I just found a letter under my door.” He sighed.

Naegi-kun gave a worried expression. “Well, I guess if you trust it, I will.”

“Yeah, it’s probably about the trial. Weren’t you called as a witness for that?”

“Oh, um, yeah. I don’t really know why, though. I don’t really know more than anyone else in our class, though?”

“Maybe it’s about Ikusaba-san, weren’t you pretty close with her? They might think you know where she is.”

“But I don’t. And do I really need to testify for that?” He sighed.

“I dunno, I think they also called me here because I talked to Enoshima-sa… Enoshima.” He shrugged.

Eventually, somebody began to approach. “Hello there, are you Naegi-san and Kuwata-san?” He asked. His hair was a light blue, with a matching mustache. He was also wearing a white suit, with no skin exposed, not even his hands.

“Oh, yeah we are.” The luckster replied.

“Great! I’m Goto Teruo. I was a former Ultimate Detective. I’m here about the case.” He crossed his arms impatiently.

“What do you need help with?” He rubbed his arm.

“I needed some people to go over the case with. You two viewed the second video, correct?”

“Yeah, what’s it to you?” Leon replied harshly. Something about this guy was off, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

“I have some evidence here about it. And I wanted to confirm it’s legitimacy.” He said as he pulled out a few sealed evidence bags. “I already got these cleared for inspection, so you don’t need to worry about touching them. If you’re unsure if something is real, please let me know.”

He laid out the bags and opened them. One had a few pieces of tan hair. One, a picture of a bloody chair. But there was one that quickly jumped out at the both of them. “No, that’s wrong.”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

Naegi-kun picked up the suspicious object. A screwdriver with a bloodstain on the end. “See here. In the video, it was a scalpel. And there’s no way to really create slashes with this. You got the wrong weapon.”

“Pass it here for a moment, please.” After a few seconds, he complied. “It’s strange, I never heard about the slashing. All I heard about was the stab through the arm. Which a screwdriver would be perfect for. Just like this.”

It took a second for Leon to realise Naegi-kun was shouting. Then came the pain to his own gut. He quickly doubled over, clutching his white shirt. “What the fuck-”

“See, it’s so simple.” The man said. He repackaged the tool before peeling off his gloves. “Isn’t it a shame that your fingerprints are all over this.”

Leon stumbled backwards, blood beginning to flow out of his wound. He tripped over a rock, falling on his back. “Ack!”

Naegi-kun quickly ran at Leon, crouching over him. “Kuwata-kun!? Are you okay!?”

“Kid, look over here.” He waited for him to turn away from Leon. “If you don’t want this to get out, you’ll listen to what I have to say. You’ll testify to Enoshima-sama’s innocence. That’s all you need to do.”

“Huh? No, I can’t do that!” He shouted.

“If you aren’t going to do that, then your friend here is dead, and you’ll be the one who killed him.” He grabbed Naegi-kun by his shoulder and threw him off. “I’ll be taking care of him until then.” He grabbed Leon by his throat, pulling him up. “And if you let this slip to anyone else, you know what’ll happen.”

Naegi-kun was struck silent. He scooped Leon up in his arms and began taking him away. His vision began to fade, slowly going black.

**Juzo Sakakura**

The day of the trial slowly came. He wanted to ask Kuwata about Naegi, but he happened to stop coming to class just before that. And worse, nobody knew where he was. Just another worry piling on before the trial.

“Juzo-chan, aren’t you gonna say goodbye? I can’t wait to see you on the TV!” Yukizome-san called out as he was getting prepared to step out.

He sighed. “You stay quiet. I don’t need anything else today.”

“Hmph, you know you’ll miss me.”

“Yeah, sure.” He mumbled as he stepped out. His mind was racing. This would be the first time he saw Enoshima since that day. “Alright Juzo, you got this.”

He walked out to the entrance of the school. The protesters were the most violent he’d ever seen. Their volume only grew when Nanami walked out beside him. Finally, Naegi joined them and their transport showed up. The three of them piled into the car, and the driver started toward the courthouse.

“So, mmm… How are you feeling?” She spoke from behind her game.

Naegi grit his teeth. “I’m alright. I just… Don’t really know what to say, y’know?” He fidgeted in his seat.

“Yeah I do. I’m scared to face her again.” She replied.

“If she goes free, that would be horrible for everyone. We can’t give any loose arguments. Enoshima has a lot of money, so she has a lot of potential lawyers. They’ll be top notch, so we can’t give her any opportunity to be released.” Juzo clenched his fist. “We can’t let her do anything like what she did to you again. Or Munakata-kun.”

She giggled. “You sound like a main character giving a speech to their crew in the middle of a big heist, when they’re caught in a tough place... I think.” She paused. “But we’re not in a tough place. She is. We have her cornered. But that doesn’t mean we can slack off now. This is like one of those games where you can have the culprit cornered but make one mistake on a quick time event, and suddenly everyone thinks you’re the killer, right?”

What she said went over his head, but he nodded anyways. Naegi rubbed his head. “I guess that makes sense. One wrong word and we lose… But it still feels like one of those games where you lose no matter what.”

She sighed. “She was in your class. So you probably trust her, maybe…”

“No, it’s not that… This just feels like a lose lose scenario…” He mumbled.

“Come on man, it’s alright, you’ll do the right thing.” Juzo bit his lip. “If we don’t, who knows what’s going to happen?”

The car came to a slow stop. “Hey, we’re here.” The driver called out.

They got out, just to face even more protesters and cameras. The cops tried their best to hold them back, but a few slipped through. All three of them rushed into the court building and were quickly shuffled into the waiting room.

They sat silently in the uncomfortable chairs, waiting for the first witness to be called.

**Izuru Kamukura**

He sat silently, waiting for the trial to start. For the first time in a while, he wasn’t watching the cameras. Of course he could just wait until after the trial to see the results but he still wanted to see the plan that was up Enoshima’s sleeve. They began to walk her out.

There was a loud sound behind him. He spun around fast enough to dodge the first bullet shot through the smoke. They must have set a wall charge. One figure began to materialize as the fog dissipated. “Remember me?” Said the last member of the steering committee.

Behind him came eight fully suited special operations officers. “We are placing you under arrest for the murder of the thirteen members of the student council.”

With his analysis, he was able to deduce their skill level. On average, they were close to that of an Ultimate. Even for him, it wouldn’t be an easy fight. “Do you plan to say anything, maybe another empty threat? You’re pretty good at those, seeing as you scared those cowards into dropping their job.”

He remained silent, waiting for any small break in their vigilance. There was none. He noticed one blink, and took off. A cacophony of gunshots rang out shortly afterwards.


	12. Trial

**Izuru Kamukura**

A bullet grazed his ear. Izuru had already managed to take out four of the officers. He grabbed a gun from one of them, firing at the remaining foes. Two of them dropped before his weapon ran out. He stayed low to the ground, charging towards the last duo.

He threw the empty gun toward one, shattering the visor on his helmet, sending him falling backwards. The glass in his eyes blinded him. The last one dropped his own gun, putting his hands in the air. He appeared to be their leader. “Alright man, you win.” Izuru didn’t stop his approach. “Listen, please! I have a family!”

He threw a punch the speed of a bullet. It left a dent in his helmet, as he tumbled to the ground. The two people standing in the room were Izuru and the last Steering Committee member. “You can’t think they were my only plan, right?” He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small silver object. On the top of it, a glowing red button. “These tunnels are rigged with explosives. Even you couldn’t survive the weight of the school coming down on you.”

He wasn’t bluffing, that was the first thing Izuru deduced. “What do you hope to achieve? You’d be dead.”

“Enoshima will be free by tonight. With you gone, finally the school can pull itself out of this turmoil.” He shouted, holding his finger over the button.

“These tunnels are designed with the school’s weight in mind, if you detonate them, Hope’s Peak Academy would go down with you.” He stood emotionless.

“I thought you knew? That Munakata kid you killed, he was working on an offshore building. We’ll move operations over there.” Izuru could tell he was running out of time to stall. From the opposite side of the room, the blinded officer let out a groan. This was his chance. In the second that the man glanced away, he charged him. Izuru grabbed the detonator from him before he could activate it. “Gah!”

With the detonator in-hand, he grabbed the Steering Committee member by his collar. Izuru began to drag him out of the room and towards the maze. “Wait, no!” He shouted once he realised where he was being taken.

“Stop right there!” A voice came from behind him, followed by a cock of a pistol. He quickly spun, keeping his grip on the committee member. “I said stop! Drop the guy, bastard!”

“Why are you here, Kuzuryu?” He placed the detonator on the ground to not provoke a reaction. “You should be with your class, watching the trial?”

“I said drop him! Don’t fuck with me, I know how to use this!” He was clearly shaking.

Izuru could easily grapple the Yakuza, but there were flaws in that plan. He’d have to drop the committee member, which would likely lead to his escape. If he did get to him, Kuzuryu would likely get shot in the struggle. In the event where neither of the previous happened, the gun would almost certainly be thrown from the fight, directly towards the man. In all scenarios, Kururyu would end up dead, or the man would get away. He could work with killing him, if not for Nanami’s wish. If she wanted to spare the steering committee after they had threatened her, she’d likely wish for her friend to be spared. “Answer my question, why are you here?”

“You’re not in the position to be making demands! Drop him now, asshole!” He said, clutching the gun. “I’m giving you five seconds! Five!”

Izuru thought his options over once more before dropping the man. He quickly scurried over to the Yakuza. “Will you answer me now?”

“Tch, bastard! You probably know already with that fuckin’ superbrain of yours! Like I’d tell you anyway, after you tried to kill Nanami-san!” He shouted, holding the gun more firmly after saying her name.

He consulted his talents to see if he had an idea about what Kuzuryu was talking about. He is the Ultimate Yakuza, could it be… “You owe the steering committee a favour, and they’ve called it in, correct.”

“Fuck you!” He said, clutching his empty hand into a fist. “Why do you even care?”

“From what I’ve seen, the Kuzuryu clan are rather stingy. Could the favour have been… I see.” He crossed his arms. “You made a deal with them to let you into the school… No, someone else… Your sister.”

“Don’t talk about my sister you piece of shit.” A gunshot went off, flying by Izuru’s face and catching a lock of hair. Kuzuryu himself seemed surprised by the shot. After a second, he steadied himself. “That was just a warning, say something stupid again and I won’t miss!” A tear fell off the Yakuza’s cheek.

He spoke, but Izuru didn’t. “You… You’re…” He tried to move, but couldn’t. He could only watch. The other him reached to his face, blinking a few times. “You’re her brother… I’m sorry… She was a… Good person…” As fast as it wasn’t, his body was his again.

Before either of them could react, the Steering Committee member spoke up. “You stupid fucking kid! Just shoot him, what are you waiting for?”

Kuzuryu stood, both hands trembling with the gun. His face was clearly pained. “Fuck… No!” He spun around, pointing the gun at the man.

He staggered back, against the wall. “You dumbass, you know how much money I’ve put in your parents pocket!? Without me, the Kuzuryu are done!”

His hands weren’t shaking anymore. “So what? My dad… He wouldn’t even pay for her to come here. The only thing she ever talked about since she found out about the place.” He stepped closer to the man, sticking the gun out further. “When the scout came for her, my dear old dad ‘suggested’ me. And when Kizakura didn’t agree, he broke his fingers until he did!”

“Without me, kid, you’re done! Once the Kuzuryu clan are done, there’ll be no Ultimate Yakuza. You’ll be kicked out of this damn school. You and your tool-.” A shot rang out.

The wall the man was standing against was splattered with blood. He slowly slid down, slumping over on the ground. Kuzuryu dropped the gun into the growing pool of blood, before sitting against the wall opposite the body. Izuru surveyed the scene before leaving, having an issue of his own to deal with.

**Juzo Sakakura**

The three sat in the empty room for what felt like an eternity. A few times they tried to talk, but the conversations quickly died off. Juzo spent most of the time watching their faces. Nanami stayed still, likely keeping her anxiety inside. Naegi though, was sweating bullets. He couldn’t blame either of them. For kids to be asked to do this was too much.

The worst of it all was she was going to be there. Nanami would need to see her. Be in the same room as her. Juzo had spent the vast majority of his time beforehand preparing himself to be on stand. Just meters from her. To not strangle her where she stood. He had to keep telling himself. If she dies here, her cause would only grow, and he would be arrested. Unable to protect Nanami. Or Yukizome.

Lost in thought, he felt a tap on his shoulder. “Sakakura-san? You’re being called for.” A man with tan hair and a contrasting blue suit tapped his shoulder. “You gotta go out there. And see her.”

Juzo quietly nodded, getting out of his seat. As they left, he looked back. He stuck his thumb up towards Nanami, giving her a small nod, before stepping out of the room.

He towered over the man, but still felt uneasy walking with him. Yukizome-san had reminded him to do some digging on who would be representing Enoshima. The only person who came up was Araya Arata, the former Ultimate Lawyer. He was known for his underhanded methods and near perfect record, even with irrefutable evidence. Juzo was expecting her to have a strong legal team, but a former Ultimate was something he couldn’t have prepared for.

“Hm?” The man, Arata, tilted his head. “Did you say something?” He stopped short of opening the door.

“I didn’t.” He replied, biting his tongue.

“Ah, my mistake.” He gave a warm grin. “Must’ve been my imagination.”

From the articles he read, Arata used these tactics often. Many prosecutors reported him as cheerful and kind, but always with the intent of gaining something. He often made them second guess their own evidence, leading to the desired verdict. Juzo couldn’t let him into his head.

“Let’s get this started, don’t you agree?” He opened the door to the courtroom, giving him no chance to reply.

Immediately, he saw her. She was wearing a faded green uniform, clearly a few sizes large on her. Her gaze was fixed beside him, at Arata. The prosecutor spoke up as he stepped into the room. “So, er, I’d like to call forth my first witness.”

As he began walking toward the stand, a man stopped him. “Do you promise to speak the truth and only the truth?”

“I do.” He nodded, and the man let him pass.

Juzo took his place on the stand, and the Crown Attorney began. “Could you please identify the culprit, if they are in the room.” He asked, standing in front of the audience. He could tell by their looks, they hated him. The audience was here for her, to support her.

He raised his finger and pointed in her direction. “Her, Junko Enoshima.” She didn’t react, keeping her face still.

“Okay, could you please state your name.” He continued.

“I am Juzo Sakakura, the former Ultimate Boxer and Head of Security at Hope’s Peak Academy.” He replied, including his full title.

“Thank you, now that that’s out of the way, I’ll start with my questions.” The prosecutor opened a notebook, scanning it over. “Could you please describe your relationship to the two victims, Chiaki Nanami and Kyosuke Munakata?”

Juzo took a breath. “For Nanami, she was simply a student, I don’t recall any notable interactions with her until the incident. Munakata though, was a close friend throughout High School.” He sighed, having prepared himself for this. “After school, we joined the Hope’s Peak staff, along with another friend. As we worked together… I began to grow feelings… For him…”

Both lawyers seemed to be taken aback. Enoshima on the other hand smirked. It was subtle, and she was facing him so nobody else would’ve seen. He couldn’t let her get to him.

The lawyer flipped a few pages forward into his notebook. “So… Alright… I’ll uh… Pass the questions to the defense.” He sighed, closing the notebook.

Arata grinned, standing up. “Could your relationship with the deceased be influencing your conclusion?”

“No, I saw him die.” He replied quickly.

“Did you actually see the accused kill him?” The lawyer continued.

He winced, knowing he was playing into Arata’s hand. “No, but the spear that did was linked to the death trap that she set-.”

“Ah, did you see her setting the trap?”

“Her face was plastered all over the walls in that maze, it was clearly her doing.”

“What a conclusion to jump to.” He pulled out a paper. “Have you considered the possibility that class 77-B had set her up in an attempt to frame her. According to this report from yourself the day of the incident, ‘As Nanami was leaving the maze, she triggered a trap, killing him.’ Can you really say with certainty, the trap wasn’t intended for him? The wording is very specific, as if you saw her trigger it. You were scared for your life and struck a deal with Nanami, to keep your mouth shut?”

“Enough.” The judge spoke.

“Yes, your honour.” Arata snapped back into his seat.

“Sakakura, you can go.” He turned to him. Juzo quietly nodded and stepped away from the stand.

**Leon Kuwata**

Leon groaned, waking up. He quickly realised he wasn’t in his dorm. “Huh…?” He tried to sit up, just to feel a sharp pain in his gut. “Ack…”

“I’d stay still if I were you…” A voice came from across the room. “Wouldn’t want to rip your stitches.”

He tilted his head to see who was talking. A man with blue hair and a matching mustache sat on a wooden chair opposite him. A name flashed into his mind, Teruo. The pain in his gut and the man in the chair reignited his memory. “Get the hell away from me you psycho!” Leon clutched his stomach and stood up.

“Woah, no need to get rowdy, I’m just here to watch you…” He said, staying in his seat.

He balled his fist, swinging it towards the man. “Agh!” It was slow and hurt his wound. Teruo grabbed the fist, throwing Leon back onto the bed.

“Like I said, calm down. Not like you’re in a state to fight, anyways.” He returned to his seat.

Leon grit his teeth and began checking out what was in the room. There was a small TV in a corner, and two bookshelves against the walls. Other than the bed and chair, nothing else was in the room. His eyes were drawn to the objects on the shelves.

The first had only one object, a small chef’s hat. On the other, there were four things. He had to lean forward to see what they were, and when he did, his eyes widened. A martial arts award, a glass ball, a weird book with an anime character on the front, and a deck of cards. The cards seemed to have a splash of red on them, blood. They couldn’t be, right? He opened his mouth, hesitant to ask. “What are those…?”

The man raised an eyebrow. “Trophies, I would guess. Maybe we’ll be putting a baseball up there next… Depends on what that kid decides to do, I suppose.”

Naegi-kun. Leon’s life depended on him, didn’t it? “Damn it…”

The man’s phone rang, which he swiftly answered. “Now? Alright.” He stood up, walking to the TV. After a few seconds, a static blur appeared. Teruo fiddled a bit more and an image of a trial room appeared. “I was thinking you’d probably want to be watching your fate, right?” A pink-haired girl was walking out towards the stand.

**Chiaki Nanami**

It was quite a while after Sakakura had left, when the tan haired man returned. He tapped her shoulder, indicating it was her turn to go. She got to her feet, giving the Lucky Student a wave on her way out. The hallway between the waiting area and the courtroom seemed to stretch on forever.

Her anxiety spiked when she felt a hand on her shoulder. “Nice to meetcha, Chiaki. Name’s Araya Arata. Good luck out there, okay? It can be really stressful, like a battlefield. My tip is not to get caught up in your thoughts, call it a bit of professional advice!” He laughed, gripping her shoulder tighter.

“Hey, ah…” She mumbled, trying to pull away.

“Ooh, watch that stutter. Something I’ve learned is liars stumble over their words a lot more than innocents, if you know what I mean.” He lifted his hand, letting go of her. “Well, here we are. Three… Two… One…” When his count ended, he threw open the door.

Their eyes immediately locked. Her plain prison uniform contrasted her strawberry blonde hair. Her eyes seemed angry, scowling at her. She remembered the last thing Enoshima had said to her. ‘Those pink eyes are really getting on my nerves.’ A chill ran up her spine.

She averted her gaze, walking towards the stand. A man in a black suit stopped her. “Do you promise to speak the truth and only the truth?”

Chiaki took off her hat. “Yes… Yes I do.” She nodded, stepping onto the podium. Her chest tightened when she first noticed the audience. Their faces were those of wrath. They hated her. A few began to yell out jeers and taunts, but were quickly silenced. One shot up, charging towards her.

A thud rang out as he fell on his face. A figure was over him, pinning him to the ground. Sakakura. He looked up, giving her a subtle grin, before handing the assailant to the court guards.

“Alright, with that situation dealt with, shall we begin?” The crown attorney stood up. “Could you please state your name for the courtroom?”

“I… I’m Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer at Hope’s Peak Academy.” She stated, consciously stopping herself from hesitating.

“Thank you. Could you please point out the culprit if they are in the courtroom?” He continued.

She looked toward Enoshima. Her glare was as unbroken as it was before. “Yeah, it’s her.” She pointed, before looking away again.

“Okay. I’ll start with my questions.” He pulled out his notebook. “If you can recall, how long did the incident last?”

“Over two hours.” She replied, making sure to keep her answer brief.

“God…” He mumbled under his breath. “Do you have an idea of what the accused’s plan was?”

“She planned to stream the incident to my classmates, sending them into a state of psychosis with use of the Ultimate Animator’s video techniques. Using my death as a catalyst.” She stated, making a mental note to thank the Imposter for that one.

“Objection!” Arata spoke up. The judge nodded. “Saying the accused’s plan was to stream it implies the existence of a video. If there is a video, do you happen to have proof?”

“Yes, I do.” She reached into her bag, pulling out the drive. “Unfortunately, it’s unsafe to watch because of the brainwashing techniques on the video.”

“How strange, you claim to have evidence but won’t allow us to view it. Could it be that you're hiding something?”

Chiaki had prepared for this. After Mitarai-kun didn’t return the drive, Arata must’ve rethought his plan. Luckily she still had something that he couldn’t know about. “I never said you couldn’t watch it.” She reached back into her bag and retrieved a pair of glasses. “These will allow you to view the video safely, without needing to worry.” She glanced at Enoshima, who seemed as surprised as Arata.

“Huh? No, wait! That’s, er… There’s no way you can trust those glasses! They could just be fake so she can brainwash you!” He leaned forward, placing his hands on his desk.

The prosecutor spoke up. “One minute the video is harmless and she’s hiding it from you, the next, the video is dangerous and shouldn’t be played. Which one is it?”

Arata was clearly in a panic. “Well clearly it’s… No it… Wait it’s gotta be…” He held his hand to his forehead, stepping back from his desk. “I’ll watch it. Hand the drive here.”

“Silence. Order in the court.” The Judge slammed down his gavel. “We will hold a fifteen minute recess before reconvening. The witness is hereby dismissed.” She took a few deep breaths before stepping down from the stand.

**Leon Kuwata**

Leon was invested in the trial. If there is a video and a safe way to view it, Enoshima was screwed. Part of him was happy. She was going to be stuck behind bars, unable to hurt anyone else. On the other hand, her being found guilty didn’t spell well for him.

“You hear that? You’ve lost, alright? Now just let me go.” He said, clutching his stomach.

“Patience.” The man said blankly. “It’s not about winning, it’s about sending a message.”

“The hell does that mean?”

“Think about it. There’s only one pair of glasses.” He set the remote down. “Public opinion is already with her. If the only way to watch it is locked up in some evidence room, people will demand to see it.”

“So what? She still gets locked up, and you end up right next to her when Naegi-kun speaks out about you.”

“Ah, here’s my favourite part. With thousands of fans demanding to see the video, it only takes one person to leak it. Maybe, perhaps, a former Ultimate Detective with access to said evidence?”

“But… It’s not safe. If that many people watch it…” He trailed off. “You asshole!”

“Oh, oh… Watch your mouth. You wouldn’t want to piss me off and waste Naegi’s time, no?” He cocked his head. “Well, either way, looks like the break is over. I do wish you good luck with that.”

The Lucky Student was being walked out by Enoshima’s lawyer. He was asked to tell the truth and his name. After that was over with. Leon could feel his heart beating through his chest. If Naegi were to say the wrong thing…

“Let’s begin. Naegi, I assume you know why you’re here?” The defence began.

“Um, I don’t actually… Sorry.” He mumbled.

“Really? Well then, you’re here for an alibi. The accused says you were with her on the day of the incident, and that neither of you were on campus.” He shuffled with his papers. “My only question for you is if you can confirm this?”

Leon felt a wealth of anger swirl inside him. “Bastard…”

Naegi’s face twisted, clearly pained. He clenched his fist. “No, I can’t lie for you. I was with the rest of my class. In fact, Enoshima and her sister were the only ones who didn’t show up that day.” Leon’s chest seized up.

“You little fucker! You know perjury is illegal, right!? Lying in court is criminal!” The defence shouted.

“Please remove Arata from the room.” All heads turned, as if hearing her voice for the first time. “I plead guilty.” Enoshima’s fans began to shout.

“Huh? What the hell is she doing?” The man with him spoke. “What the hell is this!?”

“For what charge?” The judge asked, equally as surprised as the others.

“Does it matter? All of them. They’re all for life anyways!” She giggled.

The TV switched off. “Welp. Guess we know how this ends for you.” The man said, getting up from his chair. Leon shot up from his bed, ignoring the pain from his stomach. He dashed towards the shelf, grabbing the glass ball off it. “What the-?” He spun around, chucking it towards the man. “Argh!”

It shattered against his face, sending him tumbling backwards. Once Leon was sure the man wasn’t getting back up, he left the room. A staircase led him up. At the top, he stepped out into the living room of a seemingly normal house. Sitting on the couch was a freckled girl, with short black hair.

“Ikusaba-san…?” He blurted out, a sense of fear overwhelming him.

Her body was shaking. “Is he dead?” She looked past him towards the basement.

“I-I… I don’t think so… Probably not.” He stumbled over his words.

He hadn’t noticed the TV, which was still playing the aftermath of the trial. “You should have. I told that idiot that Naegi-kun would care about Maizono-san or Kirigiri-san or pretty much anyone else more. But he insisted on you.”

“A-Are you going to kill me…?”

“I don’t have a choice.”

“Wait, wait!” He pleaded. “You do have a choice though! You don’t need to do this!”

She stayed silent.

“Okay, uh, what about Hagakure-kun and the others!? Why do you have their shit!?”

“You can’t possibly be that stupid, can you?”

“Please just-” She began walking away, opening a case.

Leon took this as an opening, dashing out towards what appeared to be a front door. He took a moment to open it, struggling with the lock. A wave of cold hit him as the door flew open. Wherever he was, a flurry of snow spiraled outside. The sound of a gun cocking behind him made the choice easy. He flew out the door, taking a few steps before a shot rang out. A pain cut through his shoulder as the bullet flew through. He clutched the wound and continued running.

The house was surrounded by an open field, heavy forest surrounding it. If he could make it out there, he could get away. It wouldn’t be easy with a trained killer behind him. Another bullet whizzed by, catching him in his ear. His hearing was impeded by an unending ringing. He was approaching the edge of the field, the treeline growing closer. He couldn’t even hear the next shot, striking him in his back. Leon stumbled forward, catching himself with his hands. He quickly got back to his feet, running past the trees. Adrenaline kept him going, but he began to slow down. He coughed, blood falling from his mouth.

He clutched a tree, holding himself up. His breathing slowed. “Gah… Fuck…” He tried to take another step, falling face first into the snow. His consciousness began to fade, a layer of snow beginning to bury him. He took a breath, the snow being stained by the blood pouring from him. A tear rolled down his cheek.


	13. Class 78

**Byakuya Togami**

The trial was interesting. This was the conclusion Byakuya came to. What intrigued him the most was Naegi’s behavior. He wanted to ask him a few questions about it. “M-master?” Fukawa stuttered as he headed for the classroom.

“What?” He didn’t stop walking.

“Well it’s b-been a while since we’ve s-seen them… What if he’s just changed a b-bit?” She mumbled. It was with her insistence that they watch the trial in the first place. “E-everyone there hates me anyway…”

“It’s too late, we’re here.” He said, turning the doorknob and entering the classroom. Other than those who had left the school, Kuwata and Maizono were the ones missing. Everyone’s eyes were immediately drawn to him.

“What the fuck? Why are you here?” Owada shouted.

“Your endless skipping of class will harshly impact your future work ethic.” Ishimaru stated.

“Yeah! Why are you here?” Asahina followed.

“Class is optional here. And I have no obligation to participate in your friendship circles.” Their chorus of questioning died down when Fukawa walked in behind him. He walked over, standing near Naegi. His expression was blank. A hint of fear in his eyes. Questioning him in front of everyone would lessen the chance of a coherent answer. He settled into the seat next to him. She took the seat behind him.

“Hey… Those’re… Kuwata-kun’s and Maizono-san’s.” Fujisaki whined. 

Byakuya was about to ignore her when he noticed Naegi flinch at the name. He sensed an opening. “They weren’t part of the people who left, correct? Where could they be?” 

“Probably off with their music club thing. They seem to be enjoying it.” The Biker said.

“Music club?” He asked, not aware of any official clubs.

“I dunno… Some second year started it, I guess. Weirds me out.” Asahina answered.

Naegi was clearly deteriorating. He just needed to dig a little further. “Since when do you care so much?” A calm voice came from the back of the classroom. “You leave for weeks and show up out of nowhere, suddenly concerned about everyone?”

“Kirigiri. Am I not allowed to be? That trial must’ve been a lot to handle for everyone. Seeing a former friend found guilty?” He smirked.

“What do you want?” She retorted.

He was about to reply when the door to the classroom flew open. A tense looking Maizono in the doorway. She glanced at him. “Eh? Why are you here… In my seat?”

“What? There are more empty seats around.”

“You can’t just come back out of nowhere and take my seat.” She paused. “Wait no that’s not important. Have any of you seen Kuwata-kun? He didn’t show up for band practice, and he’s never missed it before, so I’m a little worried. And with him not watching the trial with the rest of us…”

“Kuwata? Curious. That’s why I’m here.” Byakuya stood up. “Kuwata has been reported missing and, as the Togami heir at Hope’s Peak, I was asked to investigate.” A bold lie, but it seemed to work.

A wail came from beside him. Naegi was shaking, tears streaming down his cheeks. “Huh? Naegi-chan?” Maizono ran up to him. “What’s wrong?”

“Gh… Puh…” He sputtered.

“Something t-tells me he knows about K-kuwata-kun.” Fukawa mumbled.

The others quickly rushed up around him. Kirigiri grabbed his hands. “Please Naegi. We won’t be able to help him if you don’t tell us.” She spoke, assuming the same he had, Kuwata was in some sort of danger.

“Enoshima… She-She…” He whined. “She killed him.”

“I see… Could it be she threatened you with his death before the trial. I’m impressed. A commoner like yourself was able to make the decision to sacrifice him for the greater good.” He scoffed.

“Shut the fuck up, man! What the hell do you mean ‘sacrifice’? Is this some sort of fuckin’ joke?” Owada erupted.

“Does this sound like a joke? Your friend disappears for days and you dismiss the first possibility as a joke? Let’s go forth with that train of thought. The whole Enoshima situation, must be a joke. Your inconsequential birth, a joke. If you want to discuss real jokes, let’s talk about how an insignificant ant like you gets invited to a prestigious school among greats like myself, that is what I would call a joke.” He retorted. 

“Lay off, dude. No need to go that far.” Asahina shouted.

Quickly the class descended into a bout of shouting. Fukawa screeching at Asahina. Ishimaru yelling about indoor voices. Fujisaki covering her ears. Naegi shaking. 

“Everyone shut up!” A shout came from Naegi’s side. “If Kuwata-kun is in danger, we should go save him, right!? Right now we need to work together.” Maizono wrapped her arms around Naegi. “Come on, please tell us everything you know.”

He looked up at her. “There was a man… Goto Teruo. He said he wanted to go over evidence with me and Kuwata-kun. But… He used a screwdriver… And… And he… He…”

“Listen man… You can skip this part.” Owada said, grabbing Fujisaki’s shoulder.

Naegi nodded. “He said that if I just said Enoshima was guilty, it would be okay… But I couldn’t do that. I wanted to… I wanted to help him but I couldn’t…”

“It’s alright Naegi-kun. I’m sure Kuwata-kun thinks you did the right thing.” Kirigiri spoke, her voice as calm as usual.

“Well come on, let’s go find him so we can find out!” Maizono said, a look of determination in her eyes. “I remember him saying we needed to get closer as a class, so let’s get going!”

“And why should I follow?” The Heir crossed his arms.

“Because he’s your friend, duh?” Asahina shrugged.

“You say you were assigned this case because you were the Togami heir here. If you were called on to investigate, over even the Ultimate Detective, they must have a lot of trust in you.” Ishimaru grinned. “Togami is such a strong name, no wonder.”

Byakuya smirked. “I must say. This has turned out to be very interesting.” He headed to the door. “Time is important, right? What are you idling for?”

**Ryota Mitarai**

It was over. Enoshima gave up in front of everyone. Her pleading guilty meant not even her fans could argue. At least, that’s what he thought.

Ryota couldn’t help himself from looking over some forum pages discussing the trial. They had transformed into a battleground.

[‘The video must be edited or something.’]

[‘Nah it's gotta be fake, those glasses are the real trap.’]

[‘Lmao she said she was guilty, what are you losers still doing arguing?’]

[User 1013 was banned.]

He had a good laugh at that one. The endless conspiracy theories were spread wherever he looked. The news outlets who first published articles on the incident were now a hotspot for the fans to harass. While he was looking over the theories, he found a video that piqued his interest. ‘ _The True Culprit Behind the Despair Incident_ ’.

Expecting it to be another theory saying Nanami was lying, Ryota almost ignored it, but something about the way it was phrased caused him to click it. It was in English, so he quickly turned on subtitles.

“This Monday, Junko Enoshima was found guilty of Kidnapping, Torture, Murder, and more. But what if she wasn’t guilty of anything? Welcome back to The Truth Unravelers, today we’re going to discuss who was really behind it all!”

A blurry image of a black haired girl with freckles appeared. “Let me introduce you to Mukuro Ikusaba, Enoshima’s secret twin sister. You heard me right, she has a secret twin!” There was a pause for a music swell, before he started talking again. “I hear your comments already. ‘Oh yeah, where’s your proof.’ And what I have to say to that is:” He pulled out a sheet of paper. “Do official Hope’s Peak Academy documents convince you?”

“Thanks to an anonymous source from within Hope’s Peak itself, we have before us the true culprit. Now doing a quick search of the name Ikusaba gives us all the information we need.” A picture of a wolf appeared. “See this here? This is the insignia of the foreign mercenary group, Fenrir. You see, Ikusaba was invited to the Academy as the Ultimate Soldier. Now that we have her title, it explains how she would be able to operate the traps!”

He grinned. “Now I know some of you might be skeptical of the whole thing. So here’s my final piece of evidence.” An image popped up on the screen. The black haired girl meeting with a blonde one, seemingly in public. “This was taken from an airport security roll, a few months ago. Coincidentally the same time Enoshima entered the school. I hope you’re convinced, cause this is the truth! Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe so the word can get out there. Thank you all for watching.” The screen went black, leaving Ryota speechless. The video had already been seen by ten thousand people, the likes outweighing the dislikes. He closed the window and opened up his anime, needing some time to think about it. 

**Byakuya Togami**

The first snow of the year had coated the ground. He had ended up searching outside with Fukawa. Everyone was supposed to have split up, but she was more interested in stalking him than doing anything productive. Maizono was searching the old school building. Naegi, the new one. Everyone else was outside.

Byakuya was rather excited to find Kuwata, dead or alive. On one hand, he did get caught in a lie. But on the other, he now had a chance to prove the Togami name once again. And of the many chances he has had, this was one of the more interesting.

“Togami-kun! I found him!” Came a shout from the gate.

“Hmph.” He grinned. “Out of everyone, I wasn’t expecting you, Fujisaki. Take me to him.”

“B-but shouldn’t we get the others?”

“Tell me where he is, and I shall go then. You can round up everyone else.”

“It might be a trap, you shouldn’t go alone.” Fujisaki pleaded.

“That concern might go for someone else, but I am a Togami. There is no need to worry.” He crossed his arms. “And even so, I’m not going alone. Fukawa will come with me.”

“Y-yeah!” She said, popping out from behind a tree. “Leave M-master alone!”

“Oh… Okay.” She mumbled. “The reserve course building… I think he’s in there.”

“You think?”

“Y-yeah…”

“Whatever.” He said, heading for the abandoned school. Fukawa followed close behind. The building had an eerie sense to it upon opening the doors, a loud creak echoing through the empty building.

“Wh-Where is he?” Fukawa mumbled. The interior was drowned in darkness.

“My guess is the school cut the power once the reserves disappeared. You won’t find anything in here without lights.”

She frowned, cupping her hands to her mouth. “Kuwata-kun! W-where are you!”

He clapped his hand over her mouth. “Will you be quiet, you pest? Kuwata’s been kidnapped by a hostile force, and you alert them all to our position?”

“Sorry!” She pouted. “What should we do, then?”

“Hmph… Without the others there’s no reason to progress.” He sighed.

“Never thought I’d see you relying on others…”

“I am not relying on them. I’m simply acting with a sense of self preservation, unlike you.” He rolled his eyes. “In a game of chess, the king and queen are the most important pieces. Therefore, you use pawns and such to go forward instead.”

“King and queen?” She blushed. “I’d gladly be your queen, master.”

“That’s not what I meant. The queen is an unstoppable force, useful for any situation. Without your queen, you have already lost. Therefore, I am the queen. Meanwhile the king is useless and weak. Only useful in the most dire of situations. Just like you.”

“I’m okay with that…” She mumbled.

Before he could retort, the doors flew open loudly. The remaining members of their class had gathered. “Took you long enough.” He crossed his arms.

“Togami-kun! I appreciate your punctuality!” Ishimaru shouted.

“Well what are you waiting for? Why aren’t you searching?” Maizono asked, quickly walking into the building.

“Well as you can see, there’s no power. How do you expect to find anything in there?”

“I-I saw him through a window in a classroom. He’s on the first floor!”

Owada pulled something out of pocket. After a few clicks, a light began to shine off him. “This should help.”

“Owada-kun! Why do you have a lighter!? Underage smoking is strictly prohibited!” The Moral Compass chastised.

“Not the time, bro.” He sighed, taking the lead. “Follow me, I guess.”

The rest of the group began to follow, searching the first floor one by one. Most of the classrooms were dusty and empty, desks stacked neatly. Some were in varying states of disorder, likely from the rioting reserve course.

By the time they cleared the first floor, hope was dwindling. Most of them were tired, not realising how large the building was. “Hey Fujisaki, you sure you saw him here?” Asahina finally asked.

“W-well… I saw someone with red hair…” She mumbled.

“Do you know how many people with red hair go to this school?” Naegi asked.

“I… I dunno. Like two or three?” Owada answered.

“As I thought, a waste of-” Byakuya was cut off by the loud creak of the front doors opening.

Everyone ducked into a classroom, keeping their eyes on the hallway. Owada snuffed out the light from his lighter to not draw attention to them. “What if it’s Kuwata-kun…?” Fujisaki whispered.

“What if it isn’t? I’d say the chance is a couple billion to one.” Maizono replied even quieter.

The footsteps echoed down the hall. Whoever it was, they were getting closer. They eventually passed the classroom, although he could only see their feet. They were walking backwards. Another pair of shoes passed, being dragged along. A dark red path was left behind.

Asahina quickly shot out of the room, confronting the person. “Stop! Huh?” Her shout was followed by the sound of a gun’s cock. Owada followed her out, getting in front. He was followed by Ishimaru, who was followed by Naegi. Maizono and Kirigiri popped out after him. Byakuya weighed his options before concluding that it would be valuable to know their assailant’s identity. He and Fukawa stepped out together.

“Why does this not surprise me.” He stated, locking eyes with his former classmate.

Ikusaba’s gun shifted between them rapidly, locking onto everyone until stopping at Naegi. The body slumped on the floor was that of Enoshima’s lawyer. His body riddled with bullet wounds. She ignored his remark. “I’ve got to say, Naegi, you really surprised me out there. Willing to give up your friend’s life for the ‘greater good’. How selfish!”

“I-I didn’t… Where’s Kuwata-kun!?” He shouted.

“Six feet under. What can I say, I stay true to my word.”

“No! You’re lying! Tell us where he is!” Maizono spoke, fear clear in her voice.

“Seven kilometres from here, Bochi cemetery. In a grave marked Goto Teruo.” Naegi flinched at the name. “Yep, that’s right! In his rush to escape, Kuwata managed to kill that guy. Don’t worry, he had it coming.”

“Was it painless? For Kuwata-kun?” Kirigiri asked coolly.

“I wanted it to be. The little prick wouldn’t stop running, though.” She sighed. “He almost got away too, if it wasn’t for that bright red hair screaming ‘I’m right here, come kill me!’.”

“You bitch! This chick’s crazy!” Owada shouted, balling his fist.

“Wh… Why…” Fujisaki cried.

“Why? What, you think I was just going to sit by and watch my sister get imprisoned? Speaking of which.” She kept the gun trained on Naegi. “It was so simple, Asahina could’ve done it.”

“Hey!” She shouted. “There’s no way I’d let her get away! What are you even doing with her lawyer…? Is he dead!?”

“Not yet.” She pointed the gun briefly at the man, shooting his foot, before turning it back to them. “He’s still useful, though he did fail us. He’s in indescribable pain, but he’ll live.”

“That’s… That’s… Evil!” Ishimaru shouted.

“Ugh, why can’t you idiots understand. It’s not evil, it’s despair.” She grinned, pointing it square at Naegi. “You. Choose someone to die and I’ll let the others go.”

“Huh!? No! I can’t do that!”

A shot rang out, followed by the sound of someone falling to the floor. It took everyone a moment to react. “Wrong answer.” Naegi was on the ground, clutching his knee. Maizono quickly grabbed him, holding him close.

“What the fuck!?” Owada shouted, shepherding both Fujisaki and Ishimaru behind him. Fukawa had collapsed on the ground at the sight of the blood. Asahina brought her fists up, ready to fight. Kirigiri had remained her composure.

“I’ll give you one more chance before I pick it at random.” Ikusaba warned, training the gun on him.

“Gh… No! I won’t let you have your way!” He resisted.

She began to laugh. Laughing so hard she began to cry. “Forcing me to kill one of my own classmates! You truly understand despair!” She shouted, her laugh growing hoarse before another shot rang out.

“No… No… No!” Came a shout from beside him.

All eyes were drawn to Naegi, before drifting to the person on top of him.

There lay the Ultimate Pop Sensation, a red stain growing on her shirt. “Maizono-san! No!”

Everyone stayed still, stunned into silence. Byakuya blinked a few times, realising some blood had splattered onto his shirt. “What the…”

“Hm… Who next…” Ikusaba looked between them. “Togami-kun, you’ll play along, right?” Her gun drifted toward him.

It should only be a few seconds now. He just needed to stall until then. “Despair, huh? Such an odd word, is it not? Why not use a more common one, like emptiness or terror. They achieve the same effect.”

“You’re stalling, choose someone, now.”

“And I presume you or him aren’t options?” He pointed at the lawyer, slumped on the ground.

In the second she looked away, a sound of metal scraping metal rang out. “Kyeeehahahahaha!” A blur shot by him, holding a pair of scissors to Ikusaba. “Gee master, you got me a good one this time! A cute boy in a skirt, count me in!”

“Yes, yes. Just take care of her… Him and… We’ll be getting out of here.” He said crouching down over Maizono. It was light, but he could feel it. “She still has a faint pulse. Asahina, help me with her. Kirigiri and Owada, help Naegi.”

He grabbed her arms, and Asahina grabbed her legs, walking in tandem towards the exit. Ikusaba likely managed to slip the Serial Killer’s grasp, as the sounds of a knife fight echoed through the quiet halls. They got to the doors and stepped outside, the snow falling heavier than before. They stumbled up to the gate, the security guards quickly noticing their situation.

They set Maizono into the snow. “We need medical help immediately. She’s injured severely.”

“Togami-kun… She’s…”

He looked at Asahina, and back at the idol. He felt her wrist again and his blood ran cold.

**Juzo Sakakura**

Getting woken up by a knock wasn’t the way he was planning on waking up on his day off. He trudged over and opened the door a crack. “What do you want?”

On the other end, a scrawny looking security guard stood to attention. “Sakakura-san! There’s been an incident!” He paused, pinching the bridge of his nose. “A student is… Is dead.”

“Huh? Take me to them!” He shouted.

“You should get dressed first… At least… It’s freezing out.” He looked down, seeing he was in only his boxers.

“Gh… Wait right there.” Juzo slammed the door in his face and grabbed some clothes. He was about to leave when he noticed a piece of paper on the table.

‘Hiya Juzo-chan! Just wanted to let you know I’ve gone out. I should be back by whenever. Chisa, xoxox!’ He crumpled the note and threw it on the ground. One problem at a time. He threw on a long jacket and stepped out. After getting directions from the guard, he dashed off to the front gate.

A swarm of police cars and ambulances crowded the entrance, the media being kept off the campus entirely. A group of three students were huddled away from it all, one comforting the other two.

“Hey, you. What happened here?” He shouted at them.

The tallest one spun to look at him. “The fuck? Now’s not the time, dude. Fuck off!”

Figuring that he wasn’t going to get much from the biker, he bit his lip and headed into the crowd. He was about to start looking for a student when a wheel rolled onto his foot. “Ah! Sorry!” An annoyingly high pitched voice sounded.

“Gekkogahara? What are you doing here?” He asked, pulling his foot out from under her.

“These kids just saw their friend die in front of them, it’s obvious why we’re here.”

“So it’s true?” He sighed. “Can you fill me in on what happened, at least?”

She nodded and led him over to a secluded spot against the fence. “Ikusaba’s finally decided to show her face. Sayaka Maizono… Was her victim…”

“Fucking bitch… What’s everyone just doing sitting around?”

“The other students need help too, y’know?” The pink rabbit cried. “Naegi was also shot during the encounter. Nothing too bad, he’ll be fine. Kirigiri is staying with him… Er, the student, Kirigiri’s daughter.” Usami pointed at the group of three. “Those two seem alright. Owada made sure they didn’t see too much, pretty honourable guy for a gang leader.”

“What about the others?”

“Asahina took it the worst. She’s locked herself in her room and refuses to leave. Togami was alright, he’s where I got the most of the info from, but nobody’s seen him for a bit.” She paused. “And Fukawa is still missing. She was the one who held off Ikusaba from hurting anyone else. Cops have scoured the building but no luck. For either of them. They did find Enoshima’s lawyer, half dead and comatose.”

“This is a lot to take in… Fuck… I just need a moment.” He threw his arms up, walking away from her.

A student dead. He failed. Munakata would truly hate him. Yukizome, in her own mind, would despise him. Everyone who trusted him. Nanami, Mitarai, Kuwata. He thought back to the day in the old building. When he’d caught Maizono and the others. She was kind and young. A life wasted.

He balled his fist, smashing through a nearby tree.

**Byakuya Togami**

“You lied to me Master! How could you!?” A pair of scissors was thrust in his face. He closed his book, setting it on a table.

“I did not lie to you, you came to a conclusion on your own.” He sighed.

“Same difference. Who cares.” She shrugged. “You tricked me into almost killing that cute boyish girl. You almost ruined my streak. I’m a serial killer, that’s all I have!”

“Almost? You didn’t kill her?” He stood, pushing away her scissors.

“Nah, even fighting her was awkward.” She laughed. “I accidentally flipped her skirt up and y’know, it got weird so I left.”

“You left? For a serial killer, you’re awfully awful at killing.” He shook his head. “How’d you get away, you were fighting the Ultimate Soldier yet both of you walked away unscathed.”

“Unscathed? Whaddaya mean?” She hiked up her dress, showing a slash on her leg near a long set of tallies. “She almost totally screwed up my count.”

“I don’t care. Get out of here before someone comes in and sees you. Or better yet, go take a shower. Your other side seems allergic to hygiene.”

“You must really care about us if you whine so much about my health! Kyeeehahahahaha!” She took off from the library. He sighed and returned to his book. A few pages later, the characters began to investigate the murder, taking place on a movie set. The book in particular had illustrations of the crime to supplement the descriptions. Byakuya thought it childish at first, but soon realised how they made the culprit obvious. He was pleased to know that those lower than him stood no chance of figuring out the mystery as early as he could.

The body was revealed to be that of a famous actor. Her body lay still, a stab to the gut was all it took. Her long blue hair and pink bow were stained with her blood. Byakuya blinked a few times, before rubbing his eyes. Nothing changed. “Gh…” He slammed the book closed, discarding it on the table and leaving the library.


	14. Fading

**Chiaki Nanami**

The trial dragged on long enough that by the time she left, it was already dark. The snow falling caused her to smile. The only good thing to come from her brush with death was she learned to appreciate the little things. If she died back there, she’d never get the chance to see snow again. It was bittersweet.

Chiaki must’ve fallen asleep on the ride back as the next moment she was in her bed, a ray of sun shining through the window. She grabbed a controller and booted up a console, planning on playing whatever was last in there. She was about to start when she noticed the time, already noon. “Oh…”

She reluctantly got off her bed, grabbed her cane and a handheld before leaving the room. She checked in the dining hall, finding a group of her classmates sitting impatiently. It took a moment, but they noticed her. “Nanami-san!!!” Before she knew it, Chiaki was off the ground, Nidai-kun’s hug leaving her feet dangling. “Gah-hahaha! You did it!”

“It appears the Duchess of Despair has been vanquished once and for all! Fuhahaha!” Tanaka-kun shouted.

“It’s over, right? We finally did it. We can just be normal again.” Soda-kun gave a sigh of relief.

Sonia-san finally got Nidai-kun to let Chiaki go, just to pull her into another hug. “This is so legit! Aren’t you hyped Nanami-san?”

If this were a video game, this would be when the villain comes back for one last battle. But it isn’t. “We don’t have to worry anymore.” She smiled.

“Oh, oh! I have some good news too!” Owari jumped over the crowd. “Hanamura-kun’s coming back!”

“Wait, really? Can’t say I missed him but… It’ll be good to have him back.” Koizumi-san grinned. “How do you know?”

“Well I asked the headmaster and, well, most of the stuff he said I didn’t really get but, uh…” She drooled. “His mom said he wouldn’t stop talking about coming back here… Until like a week ago, he disappeared from home and left a note.”

“Wow, I’m surprised that perv even knows how to write.” Saionji-san mocked.

“It said something like ‘I’m leaving for Hope’s Peak. Goodbye Mom. Teruteru.’ Or something.”

“It seems like the balance of Hope has finally returned!” Komaeda-kun announced.

“Well… There’s still Ikusaba and Kamukura are still out there.” Mitarai-kun mumbled.

Chiaki felt a tinge of guilt at the mention of Kamukura. She could tell everyone that he’s on their side, but it would take one word of it to get out and Kamukura would be compromised. “I don’t think we need to worry about either of them. I bet Yukizome-sensei and Tsumiki-san will be coming back to us soon. They have to be.”

“Yeah, man. No need to bum us out. It’s over.” Soda-kun groaned.

“Okay… I guess.” The Animator looked down.

“Oh right, that reminds me.” She looked around the room. “Hm? Where’s Imposter-san?”

“They’re just having trouble coming out of our room. They wanted to try not wearing a disguise today but, uh… Couldn’t bring themselves to leave, yet.” He looked back up, a nervous look on his face. “Why?”

“Oh, Imposter-kun just helped me out with what to say up there. I wanted to thank them. Could you pass it on for me?”

“O-Okay…” He smiled.

“Speaking of people missing… Where’s Mioda-san… And Kuzuryu-kun?” She mused.

“I can only assume Mioda-san is with her Music Club.” Pekoyama-san spoke up. “As for the young-” She paused. “I mean, as for Kuzuryu-kun, I do not know.”

Koizumi-san bit her lip. “I haven’t seen him since, um… The last time I saw him he was talking on the phone, he kinda seemed angry.”

Chiaki opened her mouth to reply when a loud noise came from behind her. She spun around to see what it was.

“Heyo!” Mioda-san shouted, strumming a small guitar.

“Ow… What’re you doing here?” Saionji-san rubbed her ears. “Shouldn’t you be with your band nerds?”

“Ibuki was, but Leon-chan didn’t show up. So Ibuki is out looking for him.” She grinned.

“Leon? You mean Leon Kuwata? Gah-hahaha!” Nidai-kun shouted. “Psh, that’s no surprise! Kid never showed up for practice, not even once! The only time he showed up was for a game! You should throw a concert to bring him out!”

“Yeah!” She stroked her guitar.

“Wait what? How'zat make sense?” The Mechanic scratched his head.

“Come on! We can all work together! We’ll use music to draw him out! What instruments do you play?”

“I might be able to play an Ocarina… Maybe.” Chiaki mumbled.

“I mean, uh… I did some music for my anime but… That was all with a computer program though.”

After a few seconds, it was clear nobody else was going to speak up. Any further discussion was halted when the doors were thrown open. A chorus of shouting came as security guards stormed in. It was too loud for Chiaki to understand, she was overwhelmed by the sound. It wasn’t until she felt someone grab at her arm that her senses returned.

“Nanami-san. Come on, we need to leave.” Sonia-san whispered into her ear.

She stumbled along, being pulled into a dorm room. “Huh…? What’re we doing in your room?”

“Hm? Did you not hear what they said?” The princess tilted her head.

“N-no… It was really loud.” She frowned.

She bit her lip. “They found… A student was murdered.”

**Ryota Mitarai**

Ryota immediately ran to his room, throwing open the door. “Imposter-san!?”

“I already told you. I just need a few minutes and I’ll come out.” They replied from the washroom.

“H-hey… That’s not why I’m here… S-something happened.” He paused. “Someone at Hope’s Peak was killed… A student.”

They poked their head out. “Wh… What? Who?”

“I don’t know… Some guards came in and told us all to go to the dorms. We protested but… They said that a kid died so…” He sighed.

“That’s… We need to find out who it was. Was everyone other than me present?”

“Uh, well… Kuzuryu-kun didn’t show up… And Mioda-san was kinda late. She mentioned something about someone in her band not showing up.”

“I see… I’ll go investigate.”

“You’ll investigate? What does that mean? We’re supposed to be staying in our rooms.”

“I wasn’t there to hear it, though. Therefore I have an excuse to be out.” The Imposter grinned. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. With answers.” They gave him a thumbs up before stepping out of the room.

Ryota took a seat at his desk, turning on his tablet. He checked the Hope’s Peak threads. There were a few people talking about police speeding through the gates and news vans locked outside. But no names.

He was about to give up on his search when a call came through. “Huh…?” He answered it. “Sonia-san? Why are you calling me…?”

“Nanami-san wanted to check in on everyone… And she was worried about Imposter-san.”

“Wait, Nanami-san’s with you? I didn’t know you shared a room.”

“We don’t. Sonia-san just dragged me in here when I… When we were going back to our rooms.”

“O-okay… The, uh… Imposter-san’s okay. They just stepped out…” He paused. “They wanted to find out who it is. The, uh, victim.”

“What!? Did they just leave? Go get ‘em.” Sonia-san shouted. “What if the guards check your room and can’t find them?”

“W-well… It’s not like you two are any better… “ He retorted. “What if they check Nanami-san’s room?”

“Oh… I could go, then.” She mumbled.

“No! You… You should stay here…” The Princess objected.

“Hm? Okay.” She paused. “Do you have a game we could play?”

“Huh? Well… I don’t think I do… Wait, what about-” A sound of rustling came from the other end. “Huzzah! I’ve found it!”

“‘Super Princess Peach’?”

“Yes! Remember you got it for me? Or, I guess everyone got for me in your place.” A click came through, presumably the case opening.

“Oh, yeah, I guess…” She said. “Here, you can use my DS.”

“This is awesome!”

“H-hey… Do you mind if I watch?” Ryota asked. “We could make this a video call or something, right?”

“Oh, yes! That’s a great idea.” Sonia-san said, turning on the camera, positioning it so he could see the game. “Is this good?”

“Yeah. It’s fine.” He bit his lip.

“Okay. Here we go!” She booted up the game, beginning to play.

**Juzo Sakakura**

The police quickly took over the crime scene, sending the guards to do the school work. He quickly instructed everyone to lock down the school and get the students safe in their dorms. After that, there wasn’t much to do. Naegi and Kirigiri were allowed to stay out because of his injury, and they were heavily guarded. Togami and Fukawa were still out there, but they already had teams after them. He decided to head back to his room to collect his thoughts.

Juzo hung his coat up and kicked some snow off his boots before taking a seat. He was about to turn on the TV, before noticing a paper on the table. “Oh, shit.” He mumbled before looking back over the letter. He was about to get back up and search for her when the door flew open. “Huh?”

“Didya miss me? I betcha missed me!” Yukizome-san chuckled, carrying a bag of what appeared to be fast food. He went to get up, just to be shoved back. “Ah, ah. I know what you’re gonna ask. I was just out getting some food. I got bored of waiting for you to wake up.”

“Hey… Okay, just… Nobody saw you, right?” He asked the first thing on his mind.

“Nope. I even made sure to wear a disguise.” She waved around a pair of sunglasses with an attached mustache. “I thought you’d still be asleep, so I didn’t bother getting you anything. Oops.”

He crossed his arms. “Just don’t go out again, okay?”

“Okie-Dokie!” She winked.

Juzo pouted and grabbed the remote, turning on his TV. “God dammit.”

News vans were surrounding the campus, clearly trying to get in. “-Reports are saying a student was murdered inside the Hope’s Peak grounds. So far we have no information on who the victim was at this point, but we will keep you posted.”

The news anchors reappeared. “Our condolences go out to the friends and family of the victim. Now for the weather.” Juzo turned it back off, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“Huh? A student’s dead? Who? Who was it?” Yukizome-san questioned. “Tell me.”

“Does it matter? A kid died… And it’s my fault… I could’ve…” He groaned. “I should’ve been there.”

“Juzo-chan… Who? Tell me. Now.” She asked, more forcefully.

He looked over at her taken aback. “I… I shouldn’t tell you. It won’t be good for you. It’ll just make you happy or whatever the hell that despair shit did.”

She glanced away before placing her bag on the ground. “Sakakura-kun. Please, tell me. I’d never be happy about a student dying.”

“Bastard. It’s…” He paused. “It’s Sayaka Maizono. The Idol.”

She stood there quietly for a few seconds before picking her bag back up and stepping into the bedroom. He thought about going in after her, but decided he wouldn’t help the situation.

**Byakuya Togami**

It was only past midday, the minutes seeming to drag on. He stayed quietly in the library retracing every step he took. Everything he could have done better. His failure here would forever stain the Togami name. He grabbed the mystery book off the table, tossing it into a trash can before leaving.

Byakuya wasn’t sure where he was going, his feet were just taking him. He left the old building and found himself heading to the medical ward. “Huh? You’re Togami, right? Where’ve you been? What are you doing here?” The guard asked.

“You assume you need to know. All you need to do is your job, stand there.” He commanded, pushing past him and into the room. “Naegi, I… Require your unique abilities.”

A groan came from the bed. “Do you mind being quiet?” A calm voice came from a corner.

“Kirigiri. Why are you here?” He crossed his arms.

“Naegi-kun fell unconscious. He doesn’t know yet. Gekkogahara-senpai asked me to stay by his side until he wakes. It’ll help him to be with a friend when he… Hears the news.” She replied quietly.

“Then I’ll wait here too. It’s not as if my presence will make it worse.” He stated.

“Togami-kun, please don’t. This will be hard on him, especially. They’ve known eachother since Middle School.” She shook her head.

“I…” He paused. “Just notify me when he’s ready to talk. I need something from him.”

“Alright.” She nodded. He turned to leave. “Togami-kun… This is hard on all of us. Even you. Please let yourself cope properly. Talk to Gekkogahara-senpai.”

He stepped outside, pushing past the guard. Talk to Gekkogahara? She was the Ultimate Therapist, she might be able to help. He brushed some hair out of his face and walked back out. His feet once again took control of his movements.

Before he could comprehend it, he was pushing past police and guards. “Gekkogahara. Where are you?”

An annoyingly high pitched voice answered him. “Togami-san! You’re back!”

“Cut it out. Talk to me normally.” He demanded.

She stayed quiet, typing something into her console. “Is this better?” The voice was a lot quieter and monotone.

“It is… Acceptable.” He looked away. “Follow me.”

Byakuya began walking towards the school, giving her no time to object. The mechanical whirring of wheels followed behind him as continued. He held the door open for her as she rolled in. “Where are we going, if you mind me asking?”

“I assume the stairs aren’t an option. The nurse’s office will do fine.” He answered, moving to the room. “I require… Your help.”

“I’m glad you came to me. Admitting you need help is the hardest step.” The rabbit smiled, contrasting her controller’s blank expression.

“Don’t start with that. I’m not having a crisis like some others right now.” Byakuya said, thinking of Asahina. He stepped into the room, taking a seat on the chair.

She rolled in after him. “Alright. Tell me what you need. I’ll be able to help.”

“That hare is annoying. Turn it off.” He waited for her to do something, but she continued her blank stare. “Fine. You must be dull if you don’t know why I am here.”

“Please tell me. In your words.” She asked.

“You…” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Maizono. She died because of me. I failed the Togami Corporation.”

“From what I heard, she wouldn’t have made it. Not even if she had gotten medical help. None of that was your fault.” She stated calmly.

“So you’re saying no matter what I did, I would have failed. Typical.” He crossed his arms. “An insignificant peasant like you would never understand. Togami’s do not fail. Try again.”

“I… That’s not what I’m saying, no. This isn’t that simple-”

“Isn’t it?” He interrupted. “If I hadn’t led everyone to the Reserve Course building, she’d be alive. You saying it isn’t my fault is a blatant misinterpretation of the facts.”

“You feel responsible for her death.” She paused. “Write a letter to her.”

“What? How could I possibly do that?” He rolled his eyes.

“I don’t mean literally. Just to vent out your thoughts. Write it out as if you are writing to her.” The rabbit shook its head.

“That is childish. Come to me when you have an idea, not for a child.” He stood up.

“Togami-san. I’m serious. It would help you.” She pleaded.

Byakuya ignored her and stormed out of the room. He knew he was wasting his time with all this. Of course it wouldn’t help him. He returned to the library, taking a seat at the desk. His eyes wandered to the book in the trash can. He crossed his arms and looked away.

A laptop was sitting in the corner of the room. He tapped his foot repeatedly before getting up. The Hope’s Peak logo appeared upon booting it up. He entered his school login and gained access. An orderly desktop waited for him. He opened up a text file and began to type.

_Dear Maizono._

_It has been_ \- He checked his watch- _two hours and seven minutes since you were murdered. Ikusaba escaped due to Fukawa’s failure to follow simple instructions. I would like to apologize on behalf of the Togami Corporation for my failure. This was avoidable. I believe your friends and fans will never allow you to slip their minds. I swear to you, Ikusaba and anyone helping her will be brought to justice._

Byakuya couldn’t think of any more to write so he closed the document and shut the laptop. He got up from the chair and stepped out of the library.

**Chiaki Nanami**

It had to have been at least an hour now. They were still all stuck in their rooms. The Imposter still hadn’t returned. Chiaki had been coaching Sonia-san on where to go, while Mitarai-kun watched quietly. “Do… Do you think they’re okay?” He asked, clearly worried.

“I hope so.” Sonia-san gave a thumbs up and continued playing. The snow had subsided while they were stuck inside.

“Yeah… They’ll be fine.” She mumbled, keeping her eyes on the screen.

“Okay… I guess…” He sighed.

“Wahoo!” The Princess smiled, having completed another level. “How much more is there in this game?”

“It took me… four hours. So you’ve probably got seven left.” She replied.

“Okay! Let’s hope we’re not locked in here for that long though.”

“If you don’t like it, I can go get a different one.”

“Huh? I never said that.” She looked over at Chiaki. “Even if I did, it’s not safe to go out. Especially you, Nanami-san. You should not go out alone.”

“I know, just…” She mumbled.

“Just what?” Mitarai-kun asked. “You can’t leave. Especially with Ikusaba and Kamukura out there still…” 

“So what?” She replied, apathetically.

“They’re both very dangerous people.” He paused. “Listen, I remember that day better than any other in my life. Wh-when you and Komaeda-kun came down and saw me… You recognised him, didn’t you? Kamukura, I mean.”

“Huh? Mitarai-kun?” Sonia-san tilted her head. “What are you talking about?”

She stayed quiet. “I’ve been wondering about this for a while, honestly. I’ve just not brought it up because… Well… I didn’t know how to bring it up. Just, how do you know him?”

“It’s not that.” The Princess objected. “She probably just thought he was someone she knew. Or something.”

“Well, I thought the same thing. I figured that she just mixed him up with someone else. She called him ‘Hinata’, and that makes sense.” Chiaki felt her chest tighten. “But the more I think about it, the more another option seems possible… Enoshima has been using my brainwashing technology, right?”

“Mitarai-kun!? You’re going to accuse Nanami-san of being brainwashed? You’re wrong! She’s still the same Nanami-san as always.”

“What? No. No! I’d never… That’s stupid. And doesn’t make sense.” He crossed his arms. “I’m talking about Kamukura. Don’t you think it’s strange that he has the same exact name as the founder? It’s almost as if he was brainwashed into believing he was Kamukura but is really someone else, right?” He looked at her through the video. “Nanami-san, please tell me, is Kamukura your friend? This Hinata?”

She was about to answer when Sonia-san cut her off. “No! First of all, Nanami-san never mentioned anyone like that. And second, if that friend was brainwashed, wouldn’t he have disappeared like Tsumiki-san? Nanami-san wouldn’t let a friend disappear without telling us! And of course he isn’t Nanami-san’s friend. Kamukura is a mindless killer working for Enoshima!”

“No he’s not…” Chiaki mumbled, before covering her mouth. They both looked over at her.

“Nanami-san?” He asked. “What do you mean?”

“I… I didn’t. Uh…” She stumbled over her words. The Princess’s oversized furniture suddenly felt larger. Or the room felt small. Her breath hitched and she jumped out of her chair, dashing to the door.

“Nanami-san! Wait!” Sonia-san shouted after her.

Chiaki was already through and running down the hallway. She ducked around a corner and stopped to catch her breath. Her adrenaline ran out and a pain shot through her foot. “Gah…” She forgot to grab her cane before running out. She just needed a moment alone. Her stress was bubbling over. She leaned against a wall and continued walking. She knew where she needed to be.

It hurt with every step, but she slowly made her way out of the dorm building and through a gap in the campus fence. She made her way over to the fountain, as she usually did when she needed to be alone. He was already waiting there by the time she arrived, walking over to brace her. “It is bad for your recovery to run on that foot.”

“I didn’t mean to. I wasn’t even thinking about it when I left, okay?” She retorted as he set her on the bench.

“You’re acting defensive. Why?” He asked bluntly.

“I dunno just… Everything… You probably know better than I do.” She groaned.

“I don’t. But I believe the stress about the murder is part of it.” He paused as she nodded. “The victim was Sayaka Maizono. Kuzuryu is fine.”

“That doesn’t… Help… Someone still died.” She leaned back on the bench.

“It was Ikusaba.” He continued.

“You’re just making it worse… Please stop.”

“Hm. I apologize.” He took a seat next to her.

They sat quietly for a moment. “It’s funny… He always used to say he wanted talent… And then he let it consume him… I guess it’s not really that funny.” She paused. “If I could give anything to be sitting back here with him… It feels like a lifetime ago.” Tears began to well in her eyes, stinging slightly due to the cold air. “I wish I could just go back to being normal… I just… I’ve just made it worse for everyone…”

He didn’t seem to know what to say. “Whenever you are distressed, you come here. Yet being here causes you more distress. It is a paradox.”

Chiaki wiped her eyes. “Why do you have to analyze everything I do… I don’t… I don’t need a reason to come here…” She crossed her arms, pausing until it was clear he wasn’t going to answer her. “I always came here… Waiting every night for you… Him… Whatever… Even after you disappeared… I came here, hoping I’d finally see him waiting there… And now, you were actually here and…” She winced. “And everything is so much worse and just…”

“You can’t change the past. You still have a future. Hinata gave that up.” He looked as though he wanted to say something, but stifled it.

“Just stop…” She groaned. “I just want this to stop… Please just stop this… You keep acting like you’re my friend, like you’re Hinata-kun… But you’re still letting Ikusaba do whatever she wants… If you actually cared about me then you’d stop her and not let her kill people…”

“It is not as simple as that. I have decided to stay neutral. I am no longer on the side of Despair.” He stated. “Despair is interesting. But you’ve shown me that Hope can also prove interesting.”

“So you’re just going to let people die because you find it interesting!? That makes you no better than her…” She clenched her fist. “You were willing to let me die because you found it interesting?”

“No, I-”

“What if you just… Change your mind on me like you did with… Her?” She cut him off. “Just… Leave me alone. Go away… Just go…”

Kamukura stayed still for a moment before looking at her. “I’m sorry. For everything. You never deserved that.”

“I never… I never deserved it… Nobody deserves that… Never…” She mumbled, her mind flashing back to the day. “It… It hurt so much… Everything hurt… I just… I just want to be normal… And play games with everyone… Yukizome-sensei… Tsumiki-san… I just want everyone to be okay…” She sobbed. “I just… I just… I just. Just… Just.” Her mind kept repeating the same moments over and over again.

“Nanami… Nanami, stop.” He spoke. “You shouldn’t be thinking about it.”

“How… How can I not… Think about it.” She closed her eyes. “It’s the only thing I’ve been able to think about for weeks… It’s never going to stop…”

“Nanami.” He placed his hand on her back, startling her. “I still have trouble understanding you. That’s what I’ve thought about. It’s the only thing in my mind.” He paused. “I’ve only been able to think of you.”

Snow slowly began to fall around them. His body was the only thing keeping her warm. “I keep trying my best and… And every time everyone just… Suffers…”

“You can’t say that truthfully. You were chosen to be your class’s representative. This means you were in charge of coordinating class events, correct?” She gave a small nod. “If you truly caused everyone to suffer during that, you would probably not be very well liked. Unless you’re saying you never tried your best with those.”

“Of course I tried my best!” She yelled out. The memories came flooding in. “I miss… Just being a normal high school student…”

“Then I will do my best to ensure that happens. You were right. Nobody ever deserves what you went through. Despair and Hope… They’re irrelevant when it comes to you.” He paused for a moment. “It’s getting cold. You should get back inside before it gets too cold.”

“Okay… Uh… I probably shouldn’t walk without my cane.” She tapped her bad foot on the ground. He nodded, picking up on what she was implying. He ducked down and scooped her off the bench. It wasn’t long until they reached the dorms. He expertly weaved between guards and cops. Once they reached her room, he set her down and opened the door. “Do you… Want to play a game?”

“I’m sorry. I have something to do. Ikusaba can’t be allowed to run free anymore.” He said solemnly. “I’ll join you when I am done.”

“You… You really…?” She mumbled.

“If it’s to protect you, I will.” He looked away for a moment. “I’ll give up despair.”


	15. Mistakes

**Kamukura Izuru**

It was undesirable to give up Despair. Nonetheless, he promised Nanami that he would. The Reserve Course building had no cameras. He wasn’t surprised, they only existed to benefit the talented. The members of the Steering Committee would never have spared a dime for them.

Izuru began to look over the blueprints of the building. The most probable escapes were easy to dismiss. Most windows were still boarded up from the parade, as were the doors. The front doors weren’t impossible, but quite unlikely. Class 78 used that as an escape, so Ikusaba would have a small period to follow them out.

Izuru stood outside the building, keeping watch for a gap in the investigation. Soon enough, they went to switch their shifts. He took this chance to step into the building. A smell of blood lingered throughout. The next most likely place she could have escaped from took him up the stairs. Following the map, he entered the roof access, climbing up the ladder. Someone was already standing at the top.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, calmly.

“Heh. Just my luck.” The white haired boy responded. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”

“Komaeda, why are you here?” He asked again.

“I don’t want to bore you, Mister Ultimate Hope.” He replied with a grin.

“Your existence is boring. If you don’t want to, you will explain to me what you’re doing.”

“Alright, here I go.” He looked down at his hand. “I always thought I was unlucky when I got my dorm room. You see, being forced to stare at the worthless talentless Reserve Course every night. It was clearly meant as a reminder that I was still trash compared to the Ultimates like yourself.”

“And this is relevant, why?” He asked.

“Well, right after we were all sent to our rooms, I saw something.” The Lucky Student walked over to the edge, taking a seat. “It’s not my place to say, but I think you should come take a look over here.” Izuru stepped up to him, leaning over the edge. A rope dangled down, attached to the roof. “Someone with short black hair was climbing down from here. Now I believe that to be suspicious, no?”

“Ikusaba, I presume?” He asked.

“I wouldn’t know.” Komaeda shrugged. “Now, if I didn’t know better, I’d have thought you wanted to find her. But from my trash point of view, I would advise against that.”

“You say you support hope, yet you don’t want me to go after her.” When Izuru first came into existence, he would be able to analyze him instantly.

“For the Ultimate Hope himself to want to know more about me… Hahahaha! I can’t imagine the bad luck awaiting me after this! It’s making me all tingly thinking about it.” He looked down towards the ground below. “Hope is absolute good. Despair is nothing in comparison. Just thinking about it fills me with disgust. For you to doubt my allegiances… I must have failed somewhere in my conquest.”

“Your point being?” He asked, growing impatient.

“As with my luck, hope runs in cycles. Only from great despair can hope emerge. If everything is perfect, all the time, there is no need for hope. Therefore, the greatest hope can only come from the darkest depths of despair.” He clenched his fist. “It’s the awful truth, but without despair, there is no hope. To eliminate despair is to eliminate hope.”

“I see. From your experiences with fluctuating luck, you began to cling to the society that failed you. Through this, you grew a holistic world view. Nothing happens by coincidence, and every small detail is building towards a conclusion, in your case, hope.” He deduced. “Your attempts to dissuade me from ending despair won’t work.”

“That’s a shame. But for me to think that someone as insignificant as myself could change the ideals of such perfection as yourself is insane.” He laughed. “Even though without despair, you’d never have met Nanami-san. Without despair, you’d have nothing. And you’d never even feel the warm grasp of hope.”

“Both ideologies are things that interest me, yes. And it is not ideal that I erase them.” Izuru paused, looking over at the Hope’s Peak dorms. “But both hope and despair I am willing to give up. One person alone is able to interest me as much as them both combined. Allowing her any danger would counteract my goals.”

“Yet you were willing to let her die.” Komaeda stated, more forcefully than before.

“I had not met her yet.” He replied.

“Not to call you a liar, but that isn’t true. You see, I was there when you saw each other. Of course, my consciousness was fading, so I might have heard wrong… But she knew you, didn’t she?”

“That was simply her remembering my past self. Not who I am now.” He responded.

“Ah I see. My mistake.” He scratched his head. “Not like I’m one to talk.”

“You knew Enoshima too, that is what you’re referring to. You used Pekoyama to distract Ikusaba so you could get to her. How?”

“Simply a stroke of luck. After finding Tsumiki-san, I figured I was at the top of my cycle. I stumbled upon Enoshima’s lair, and felt that aura. Well, I couldn’t help but pull my gun. It seemed my luck ran out when you interrupted though.”

“Your luck ran out?” He pondered for a moment before looking up at him. “If you knew you were unlucky, then why did you agree to go with Nanami?”

“Well, as I said. Only with great despair can great hope grow.” The Lucky Student grinned. “And, what amazing hope rose afterwards! If only the others saw it that way.”

“You… You knew going down there put Nanami in danger, didn’t you?”

He threw his hands up, a smile on his face. “Now, now. I only figured there was a high chance…”

“She could have died. Without Mitarai, she would have.” Izuru crossed his arms. “What were you thinking?”

“Ah, that’s a scary face you’re making. But…” He clutched his forehead. “Now that you mention it…” His eyes began to spin. “With such despair as the death of our beloved class rep… Only an unending hope would have awaited.”

“You’re no better than her. Enoshima.” He stood up from the edge. “I warn you, if you ever say Nanami should have died again, your fate will be sealed.”

“Ahahahahahaha!” Komaeda continued to laugh. “If it would serve you, I could just jump now!”

“Return to your dorm room. Despair will be extinguished by tomorrow.” He opened the hatch for the ladder. “Goodbye.”

**Chiaki Nanami**

Chiaki spent the rest of her day idle, waiting for Kamukura to return with news. She switched between games quickly, unable to focus on anything. Eventually, it grew late, and she reluctantly fell asleep.

A knock at her door woke her up. She got up with a yawn, stumbling over to her door. “Hello?”

“Ah, good morning Nanami-san. You left your walking stick in my room last night. You probably want it back.” The Princess smiled, holding out her cane. Chiaki grabbed it and relieved some pressure from her foot. “Also, the school is holding an assembly about yesterday… We should go.”

“O-okay… Thank you.” She had fallen asleep in her clothes, so she was ready to go. “Let’s get going, I guess.”

Sonia-san nodded and grabbed her hand. “It will be okay! I bet this was all a big misunderstanding.”

“I hope so…” She nodded solemnly.

“I must say, your hair is growing back nicely! It’s almost back to its former glory!” She pumped her fist in the hair.

Chiaki gave a small smile and started walking towards the exit. The rest of her class were waiting outside the gym. “Hey Nanami-san!” Nidai-kun shouted. “How are you doing!”

“Good, I think…?” She shrugged.

“That’s good… You were lookin’ pretty outta it yesterday…” Soda-kun grinned. “I’d have done something but Miss Sonia already handled it…” 

“Shut it wimp.” Saionji-san snapped. “You’re so useless, you wouldn’t know someone needed help if they asked you for it!”

“You’re one to talk! Like you’d even care!” He shouted back.

“Seriously though, I’m glad Chiaki-chan’s okay!” Koizumi-san smiled. “We should get going!”

“Yeah, that makes sense.” She nodded and opened the doors to the gym. The group of kids remaining at the school seemed so small. Everyone seemed anxious, waiting for the news.

After a few minutes, the headmaster walked onto the stage. “Hello. It is awful for me to have to come out here like this, but it’s true. A student was murdered on school grounds.” He paused, pulling out a paper. “Our condolences go out to the friends and family of the victim, Sayaka Maizono. It has also been brought to our attention that Leon Kuwata has gone missing.”

The crowd stood silently. Kamukura had told Chiaki about Maizono, but not Kuwata. As much of a shut-in as she was, she’d still heard of the Ultimate Idol. She remembered the time Kuwata had given her a gift after the incident. It took a moment to settle in.

“The assembly was called because we wanted to let you all know, nothing like this will happen again. For more, the Head of Security will tell you about new measures being put in place throughout the school.” Kirigiri stepped down from the stand, Sakakura taking his place.

“Alright… Listen, I lightened up for one moment and suddenly a student turns up dead…” He said harshly. “This was a resounding failure on my part, as well as my team’s. We have already begun to rearrange security posts for better surveillance. We are also in the process of restricting access to unused areas. These areas include the old school building, the reserve course building, and the underground.” He scratched the back of his head. “For this to happen so soon after the last incident shows how unprepared this security team is. Going forward, we will do better.”

Chiaki could feel the other students' eyes digging into the back of her head. Her own eyes fell to the ground, wishing he hadn’t brought it up. She fiddled with her fingers, pretending to play a game, wishing she’d brought one before leaving.

“That’s all from me. Stay safe out there, please.” He stepped down from the podium, just to be replaced by Kirigiri.

“I understand if you want to talk to someone about this. Therefore, we have Miaya Gekkogahara, the former Ultimate Therapist, on site. Please go to her if you need anything.” He frowned. “This is an unprecedented failure on behalf of every member of the staff. Thank you for your understanding.”

He walked away, indicating that it was over. Chiaki regrouped with her class and headed to the dining hall for breakfast. The atmosphere in the large room was crushing. It took a moment for anyone to say anything.

“Hey Ibuki-chan…?” Koizumi-san asked quietly. “Are you alright…?”

The musician didn’t reply. Her eyes gave a dull look and her pupils were pinpricks. Chiaki hadn’t even realised.

“Oh right, those two were in Mioda-san’s band, weren’t they?” Komaeda-kun mumbled while eating.

“Hey, don’t say that so casually.” The Photographer chastised.

She continued to sit, eerily still, not even eating.

“Mioda-san, hey, you should probably go to Gekkogahara-san.” Chiaki suggested.

“Hey! Mioda-san!” Nidai-kun shouted. “That Leon’s a tough guy, alright! I’m sure he’s fine out there!”

She didn’t respond. Once again, quiet fell over the group. “H-hey, not to change the subject, but I’m a little worried. About Imposter-san.” Mitarai-kun broke the silence.

“Did they not come back last night?” Sonia-san asked. “Where did they end up?”

“I don’t know… I’m a little worried. They left yesterday to find out about what happened. And then they didn’t come back. Not even this morning.” He crossed his arms.

“What are you talkin’ about? We weren’t supposed to leave. It was like a lockdown or something.” Owari-san mentioned.

“Yeah, I know. But they wanted to find out so we didn’t have to worry.” He said quietly. “But now I’m getting worried about them.”

“Well let’s go find them…” The gymnast finished her plate.

“Huh? Really?” The animator looked at her, surprised.

“If Owari-san is going, I will too!” Nidai-kun added. “I oughta keep my eye on her.”

“Alright, I’m coming too.” Koizumi-san said. “You guys sound like you need some help.”

“Mahiru-onee?” Saionji-san pouted. “Fine, I guess I’ll help out Mister Ham Hands.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, last time-” Soda-kun mumbled.

“Alright! This will be totally radical.” Sonia-san smiled, standing up.

“Okay! Let’s do this!” The Mechanic changed tone.

“Fuhahaha, it appears the Lord of Disguises requires the aid of my Dark Devas! I would be a fool to-”

“What are you doing?” Chiaki interrupted.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Mitarai-kun asked.

“Soda-kun’s right. Last time…” She shuddered at the thought. “I won’t let you do this.”

“So you’d just leave Imposter-san wherever they are?” He retorted.

“No, just… Think about it. It has to be Ikusaba, do any of you think you stand a chance against her?”

“I must agree with our class rep.” Pekoyama-san stood up. “Last time I duelled her, I stood no chance. It’s too dangerous.”

“Hey. Hey.” Komaeda-kun grinned. “Now that I think about it. What about Kuzuryu-kun? I bet he’s off wherever Imposter-san is.”

“Gh… You…” The Swordswoman glared at him. “Well, I was alone last time. Together, we could win.”

“Why are you… Doing this?” Chiaki pleaded. “Don’t make the same mistake I did.”

Mioda-san quietly stood up and joined the other group. The Lucky Student finally got up. “Well, that’s everyone. It would be out of place for scum like me to declare their allegiance before the hope like you do!”

“Everyone, what are you thinking?” She continued. “You can’t play the hero.”

“We can’t just leave Imposter-san… Or Kuzuryu-kun!” Mitarai-kun responded.

“We can tell the security. They’ll figure it out.” She crossed her arms. “You, of all people… Should know to trust-”

“Oh. Oh…” Komaeda-kun cut her off. “You’d trust a bunch of talentless nothings with the lives of our precious classmates? You’ve changed Nanami-san.”

“I… Yes, I would. And even then, what about Sakakura-san?” She answered.

“And what if they’re being held in the Underground? You heard them today, they’re sealing it closed! We can’t waste time.” Mitarai-kun stepped to the front of his group. “I know where you’re coming from, I know how you feel.”

“You… You know how I feel?” She stepped up to him. “Mitarai-kun, have you ever been impaled?” Her words came off more harsh than she intended. She rolled down her thigh-high, showing off the wound on her knee. “Has a good person died trying you?”

“They didn’t die, but they… They almost did.” He pointed at her. “If I didn’t do anything, you would have died. And Enoshima would have won and done whatever else she wanted to, by now. That’s why… I’ll never not do anything again. If Imposter-san’s life is on the line, I can’t afford to be a coward.”

“You know every day I sit and wonder… What would have happened if you didn’t help… Where everyone would be.” She looked away. “I’m sorry, but I’m not going to let you make the same mistake I did.”

“Nanami-san… We aren’t forcing you to come. You can just stay here.” He glanced back at the group behind him. “But everyone here wants to go, and knows why they’re going.”

“You don’t understand… This is exactly what happened last time. And last time, I was almost tortured to death!” She shouted.

“It’s alright, Nanami-san.” Komaeda-kun interjected. “I’m feeling much luckier than I was that day! If I felt my luck would get in the way this time, I wouldn’t be going.” She tried to argue, but couldn’t find the right words. She only managed to shake her head. They realised she had nothing left to say and quietly left on their search.

Chiaki slumped over against a wall. _Why were they doing this? Hadn’t they learned from last time?_ It was up to her to stop them. She got back to her feet. Sakakura. Her feet moved on their own, taking her out of the dining hall, towards the staff building. She avoided the elevator, taking the stairs up.

After many flights she reached the floor and knocked on his door. It flew open nearly instantly. “Huh?”

“Nanami-san! You’re here!” Came a familiar voice.

“Yukizome-sensei…” Her voice was shaky. She slowly backed away from the door. “Why… Why are you-”

She was cut off by a pain in the back of her head. “Gah…” Her eyes closed too fast to catch her assailant, the last thing she saw being her teacher, before falling unconscious.

**Byakuya Togami**

His class was clearly shaken. They slowly made their way to their classroom. Naegi was still in care, and Kirigiri was with him. The class seemed so small now, only six of them entering the room.

Asahina was clearly taking it the worst. “Wh-why… She was so nice… Why would Ikusaba…” She muttered repeatedly.

“Hey, you okay?” Owada asked, taking a seat.

“I should just get a donut… That would help.” She answered quietly.

“Stay here.” Byakuya commanded. “We need to discuss yesterday as a group, and this is the best we’re going to get.”

“I must say.” Ishimaru began. “Fukawa-san, you showed great initiative, I must thank you for the help.”

“H-huh? I don’t know wh-what you’re talking about.” She crossed her arms.

“Oh yeah… It made me reevaluate my personal biases.” The Biker scratched the back of his head.

“Sh-shut up. You’re not making sense. I don’t know what happened yesterday…” She groaned.

“Are you done?” Byakuya asked harshly. The room fell silent. “Good. First of all, I have a question for you, Fujisaki.”

“Huh?” She looked at him surprised.

“I believe you were the one who told us to go to the reserves.” He crossed his arms. “You said you saw Kuwata in there.”

“What…?” She frowned.

“But Ikusaba has said that he has died. Explain.” Byakuya stood over her.

“Hey, back off the little dude. Chill out.” Owada protested.

“No… No it’s okay.” She looked him in the eye. “I know I saw him.”

He was slightly taken aback. “What are you saying? It’s not possible for you to have seen him if he is dead. Try again.”

“B-but… But I did see him. He was sitting in a window so… So I ran to get you all. But when I got back, he wasn’t in the window anymore…” She defended.

“Tch. This is a waste of time.” He took a seat. “It’s impossible for you to have seen someone who is dead. You probably saw a coat rack and manifested the object you were searching for onto it.”

“But wait!” Ishimaru objected. “That still doesn’t explain why she didn’t see him when she came back.”

“Stop forcing your delusions onto the rest of us. It is impossible. End of story.” He stated.

“Wait! That’s not true.” A voice came from the door.

“Naegi, why are you here?” Byakuya glanced over to him.

His leg was bandaged and he was supporting himself on the doorframe. “I wouldn’t say it’s impossible. I don’t think we can take Ikusaba at her word!”

“Are you suggesting we go on another wild-goose chase? Need I remind you Maizono died last time you suggested that?” He glared.

“I know. And I’ll always carry her with me. In my heart.” He sighed. “But still, I think she’d want us to find Kuwata-kun. That’s why we need to go find him.”

“You always were one for blind optimism. And I’m sure she would appreciate you continuing to risk your life over finding a dead man.” He remarked sarcastically.

“Hey… She definitely would. I just know.” He pointed at Byakuya. “Maybe I’m psychic… Or just have really good intuition.”

“I assume I’m outnumbered on this, then?” The heir looked around the room.

“Yeah… Yeah! We gotta find Kuwata-kun!” Asahina shouted.

“Fuck it, I’m in!” Owada grinned. “Plus, now we know Fukawa is really cool so she can go first!”

“Sh-shut up! I don’t even kn-know what you’re talking about.” She cried out. “I’m only going if Master’s going anyway…”

“You really have a way with people, don’t you Naegi. For a commoner.” He stood up from his desk. “Where is Kirigiri? She was meant to be watching over you, was she not?”

“W-well. She said she already had a lead to Kuwata… She thought that I’d be able to convince you all so she went ahead.”

“A lead? What kind of lead?” He asked.

“Well, she saw someone with spiky red hair in the western district.” He mumbled.

“She what? Take me to her.” Byakuya walked up to the Lucky Student.

“Does that mean you’re coming?” He threw his hands up.

“Obviously.” He stated bluntly.

**Ryota Mitarai**

“Come on. We’re almost there.” Ryota ushered. The snow had once again picked up, spiralling around them. They had gone to the underground, deciding that it was the most likely place they would be kept. The thin white layer of snow coated the statue entrance. “Okay, is everyone ready?”

He could tell they were clearly uncomfortable, remembering what happened last time. “Ahaha! Come on everyone! Let’s go!” Komaeda-kun reassured.

“Yeah! We got this!” Owari-san added.

“The Undying Gamer is under my unbreakable spell of protection! With the powers of the Dark Devas on our side, we shall prevail!” Tanaka-kun bellowed.

“Here goes nothing!” He mumbled before opening the passage.

They slowly began to descend, everyone clearly on edge. It wasn’t until the Lucky Student stopped in his tracks. “This is where it happened, wasn’t it?”

Ryota raised his eyebrow before realising what he meant. He remembered Munakata pointing out this floor. “Oh… Yeah, I guess.”

“Heh… If only Enoshima had chosen me. Such scum like myself wouldn’t have had a chance in that maze.” He began to laugh. “Although I guess my death wouldn’t have led to any despair in the first place.”

“Quit it creep!” Saionji-san grabbed the back of his shirt.

“Ah, my apologies! To displease an Ultimate such as yourself is terrible!” He frowned.

“Just come on.” Koizumi added.

He nodded silently and they began back on down the stairs. Eventually, they reached the bottom and did a head count, making sure nobody was left behind.

Ryota took the lead, first checking his old room. It was empty. His memory of first seeing Nanami-san in the maze flashed across his mind. “Okay, not here. Let’s keep going.”

He continued on, checking other rooms, just to come up with the same results. Eventually, a pair of large red doors lay ahead. Everyone was hesitant to open the door, Ryota understood why.

“We’ve come this far. We can’t stop here.” He said, grabbing the doorknob. “Huh?”

“What is up?” Sonia-san asked.

“It’s locked?” He tilted his head.

“Maybe it’s for the best, y’know… There’s probably not anything in there, anyway. Yeah.” Soda-kun nervously said.

“Nonsense. Crimson Steel Elephant, Maga-Z’s infernal sense has detected the presence of at least three mortals beyond this door!” A tan hamster crawled out of his scarf.

“Then we must get through this door! There must be a key around here somewhere!” The Princess offered.

“Why bother with a key when I can punch it down!” Owari-san shouted, slamming her fist against it. “Leave it to me.”

“W-well, this door is mechanical…” The Mechanic stated. “You’re supposed to twist the doorknob and it’ll open on it’s own. There shouldn’t be a way to lock it?” He reached into his pocket, pulling out a screwdriver. “I’ll check it out, I guess.” He bent down and began unscrewing the doorknob.

The knob popped off and the door let out a loud groan before creaking open. “Huh? Imposter-san?” Ryota rushed into the room. Three men were sitting on the ground near the center.

“Mitarai-kun? How are you here?” The Imposter asked in reply. The rest of the class rushed into the room.

He looked to the other two already in there. “Kuzuryu-kun, and…”

“Hanamura-kun! I knew you’d come back to us!” The Gymnast yelled into his face.

He was clearly disheveled. His hair was scrambled and his signature hat was missing. “Wa-wa-what are ya all doin’ down ‘ere!? Wai, tha doo’s’ open!” He quickly got up and began running to it.

As he was about to pass through, a mechanical whirring sounded and the door sealed shut. He slammed into it and fell back. “Huh? What the-!?”

“Bastards. Why’d you have to come after us. Now you’re just stuck here like us.” The Yakuza rolled his eyes.

“Soda-kun, get your screwdriver.” Sonia-san commanded.

“Huh!? Y-yes Miss Sonia! Right away!” He turned to the door. “Uh… Aw crap… I left it out there.”

“Wait? You mean we’re trapped in here for real!?” The Dancer wailed.

“Hm? There’s only fourteen of us… Where’s Nanami-san?” The Imposter asked.

“She said it was a bad idea to come look for you… But… But we couldn’t just leave you here, right?” Ryota answered.

“I’m glad one of you had any common sense.” Kuzuryu-kun crossed his arms.

“So you’d rather we had just left you in here?” Pekoyama-san asked rhetorically.

“Obviously not. But you could have gotten some help.” He looked at her. “I have a feeling my dear old dad wouldn’t have a problem with helping.”

“I must apologize, that idea had managed to skip my mind-” She was cut off by a static sound.

The televisions around the room had turned on. A figure was lying in what looked like a small puddle of blood. The camera took a moment to focus, but once it did, time stood still.

The Class Rep was asleep, clearly bleeding. Everyone was frozen. Ryota could at least tell at a glance that this wasn’t using his technique. Her chest was slowly rising and falling, she was still alive. His largest worries aside, he looked around at the others.

“Fuck… Fuck fuck fuck! Not again!” The Yakuza was the first to shout out.

“Please, I jus’ wanna go home to ma momma!” The Chef cried.

Even the stoic Mioda-san seemed shaken. He fell back, clutching his tie. It wasn’t until her eyes opened that anything happened.

**Chiaki Nanami**

Chiaki could feel an aching pain in the back of her head. “Ugh…” She opened her eyes, slowly reaching back, her fingers felt a wetness. It was too sticky to be water. Her fears were confirmed when she brought them back in front of her face, stained a colour all too familiar. “Mm… Ow…”

She glanced around the room she was in. It looked like an empty classroom, desks and chairs pushed to the side. A camera was pointed directly at her, next to a blank TV. Her cane wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

She sat up, looking at the camera. “H-hello?”

“Don’t worry, they can’t hear you. It’s only there to watch.” Someone said from the doorway. A chill shot up Chiaki’s spine as she spun around. Standing there was a face she’d seen every night as she slept. Although it clearly wasn’t the same person. “What? Don’t give me that look. I get it, you were expecting her, weren’t you? But if I remember right, you were the one who put her behind bars. Sorry, but I guess you’ll have to deal with me instead.”

“N-no.” She closed her eyes. “Please no… Don’t… Stop…”

“Uh oh, did I strike a sore spot with that one? Yeouch!” She paused. “Anyways, nice to meet you, I’m Mukuro Ikusaba. I’ll be honest with you, do you think I’m doing a good job so far? Usually Junko-sama takes these types of situations, and now I’m finally starting to see why!”

“Wh…? Why me…” Chiaki sputtered.

“Oh well, you know! You did put my sister in jail, remember? It was like, two days ago? For a gamer you have a pretty bad memory!” She continued to mock.

“Please just… Leave me alone.”

“No. I don’t think I will.” Ikusaba crossed her arms. “My sister is a little more, ‘Saw’ with her games. You know Saw, right? Love those movies. Anyway, now that I’m in charge, I’m a bigger fan of lose-lose scenarios.”

“No… No…” She curled up, bringing her knees to her chest. “Stop…”

“Ooooh, I love this. Your honest and desperate reactions are just too funny!” She taunted. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to kill you! I’m saving that honor for Junko-sama!”

She looked up at her, flinching away. “Ngh… Just stop… Stop…”

“How rude. I just wanna play some games with you! Which one should we start with? Hmm?” She pulled a knife out from behind her back. Chiaki jumped, crawling away. “This is one of my favorites! You stretch out your fingers and cut between the spaces really fast!” She dropped the knife in front of her.

“Huh…?” Chiaki hesitated for a moment before grabbing it. Anything to defend herself with. She pointed it out towards Ikusaba.

“No, no! That’s not how you do it!” In an instant, she grabbed her wrists, slamming her hand onto the floor. “You just go chop-chop-chop! Like this.”

The soldier began puppeteering Chiaki’s hands. She lifted and slammed the knife between her fingers. Her body froze as she began to move faster.

“Okay! You take over now!” Ikusaba released her hands. “Be careful not to miss! You do sorta need all your fingers to play games, don’t you?” She couldn’t bring herself to lift the knife. “Come on! Go!” A sound of a gun cocking came from behind her.

“Ah!” Chiaki hesitantly lifted the dagger and placed it between her thumb and finger.

“Faster. It’s no fun without the risk!” The black haired girl commanded. The Gamer slowly sped up, terrified. She went across her hand many times, hoping by the end of each one that she’d tell her to stop.

Eventually, a blur of red appeared, a wealth of pain shooting through her hand. Chiaki was terrified of what had happened, pulling her hand away. Luckily, she still had all her fingers, only a gash on her index finger. “Gah… Please stop.”

“Meh, only a cut? I wanted to see fingers go flying! Keep going!” She pressed the gun to the sore spot on the back of her head, causing her to wince. “Now.” Her entire body was shaking. Both from pain and fear. She slowly reached for the knife, grasping it.

Chiaki was about the start again when a sound came from the door. She felt the gun lift from the back of her head. A blur flew past her and onto Ikusaba. She turned around to see a figure grappling with her. A wealth of hair flowed down to the floor. “It took me too long to get here. I’m sorry.” Kamukura said, disarming her.

“I always knew not to trust you, y’know?” She jumped back, pulling another.

A gunshot rang out. He dashed at her. In a blink of her eye, he had grabbed her face and spun around. She went flying through the air, slamming into a desk. A loud crack echoed through the room as it split in half. She collapsed onto the floor and stopped moving. Weapons had scattered around the room from the fight.

“Is she dead?” Chiaki mumbled the first question on her mind.

“Incapacitated.” He answered, turning to her. “Comminuted Fracture in both the tibia and fibula, as well as a fracture to the skull, radius, spine, and clavicle. Treatable.”

“Uh, well, okay…” She tilted her head. “Wait, you’re bleeding!”

“So are you.” He deadpanned.

“I know that… Did her bullet hit you?” She asked.

“It was necessary. She aimed for you. The only way to stop it was to take it.” He answered, blood dripping from his forearm.

“You… You didn’t need-” Her sentence was cut off by another gunshot. The first feeling was blood spraying onto her face.

Kamukura clutched the side of his neck. “Nanami-san…” He uttered before collapsing.

Chiaki looked at Ikusaba, still unconscious. Her eyes flew to the doorway.

“There we go! Boom! Grand entrance!” A maniacal voice laughed. “I know you missed me! Puhuhu!” Chiaki grabbed at Kamukura’s wound while staring up at her tormentor’s face. “I’m back, baby!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always feel like people brush Mukuro aside. Either she's hopelessly in love with Makoto and incompetent because of that, or a soulless killer with no personality. People also tend to forget that she is an Ultimate Despair. She likes despair as much as Junko, we just don't really get to see that side of her in the games, and she's written really poorly in DR3.


	16. Smile at Despair in the Name of Normalcy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact: SDR2 Chapter 5 is called "Smile at Hope in the Name of Despair." and Despair Arc Episode 10 is called "Smile at Despair in the Name of Hope."
> 
> Fun Fact 2: I wasn't smiling during either of those.
> 
> Anyway, here we go! Almost 10 000 word chapter for the climax.

**Chiaki Nanami**

Her heart skipped a beat. _Why is she here? How?_ Chiaki’s thoughts spiralled. She kept her hands pressed against Kamukura’s neck. “No! No no no!”

“Calm down, Chiaki-tan! It’s just me, your friend!” Enoshima giggled. She was still in her prison uniform, a broken pair of handcuffs on each hand.

“You… You’re supposed to be… Just leave me alone!” She shouted.

“You seem pretty pissed. Is it about him?” She tilted her head, pointing at Kamukura. “I bet it is! Calm down, Chiaki-tan! He’ll be fine, I still need him for later.” The Fashionista reached into her pocket, pulling out another pair of handcuffs. “I knew these would come in handy… Get it? Handy? Meh, you’re no fun.”

Enoshima grabbed his arm, clipping it around his hand. She attached the other to the bottom of a radiator. “L-leave him alone!” Chiaki protested.

“Hey hey, who left all these guns around everywhere? Ha! Must’ve been that snot-face!” She looked around the room. “Ah, there you are! Get up, loser.” Enoshima poked her with her foot. “Fuckin… Do I really have to do everything on my own?”

Chiaki found herself paralyzed still by fear. Even more crushing than with Ikusaba.

“Is this a damn camera? Did that bitch want to be caught?” She flicked the lens cap shut, lifting the tripod. “Eyup!” She slammed the camera against the wall, shattering it to pieces.

The Gamer jumped at the loud noise. “Stop stop stop… Stop!” She covered her ears. “Why are you here… It was… It was supposed to be over.”

“Are you asking how I got out, or my reason for being here?” Enoshima tilted her head. “Fuck it, I’ll tell you both. There’s always a way to escape, even in high security. All it takes is strangling the right guard to death and you’re a free woman!” She smiled. “As long as there are two people in the world, one’ll always wanna kill the other.”

“Y-you killed someone…? You monster…” A ball of anxiety grew inside her stomach.

“Gah you types are all the same.” She crossed her arms. “Some people pull their optimism over their eyes. Just pretending what they know what to do. I know I’m slightly rusty. Girl, you’re gonna have to trust me, keep a realistic point of view.”

“Go away! Leave me alone…” She clung to the cuff of Kamukura’s jacket. Hoping he’d wake up and stop her.

“Damn, you’re what he found more interesting than despair? I’d say to each their own, but that’s just bad taste!” Enoshima grabbed her, pulling her to her feet. “I mean look at you! You’re so bland and boring and basic and bland!”

Chiaki balanced on one foot, not having her cane for support. “Ngh… You… You you… Stop…”

“Cheer up, you’re boring me.” Enoshima looked at the TV. “I wonder what that bitch had planned to watch. I bet it’s a war movie. Would you have guessed they’re her favourite?” She asked, pulling out two chairs. “Come on, take a seat.” Chiaki reluctantly sat down, clutching her shoulders. The Despair patted down her sister, pulling out a remote. “Here it is! Let’s see.” An image of a round room appeared on the screen. “Holy shit, jackpot!” 

There appeared to be a group of people in the room. A few of them seemed tired. Chiaki realised what was happening. “Wh-what are you doing to them!?”

“Maybe that dumbass is slightly less of a dumbass than I thought! Puhuhu!” She laughed. “If I remember correctly, there’s no ventilation in there. They’re gonna suffocate!”

“No! No, let them go! Do whatever you want with me just… Let them go!” She shot up from her chair.

“If you leave, you’ll be as dead as they’ll be. And so will he!” Enoshima threatened. Chiaki looked between the screen and Kamukura. She sat back down. “That’s my girl. You know better than that!”

“Just… Just let them go.” She pleaded.

“Nope! Cause y’know, Ryota-chan is in there, and he crossed me.” She smiled. “I’d say with the fourteen of them, they have about half an hour left. Entertain me until then and you get to live. And I’ll never bother you again!”

“D-don’t… Don’t hurt them-”

“Cut that hopey shit out or you won’t even make it ten minutes. Strike number one!” Enoshima grinned maliciously. “Or should I say… Two lives left!”

Chiaki didn’t open her mouth.

“Oh, come on. Talk to me. Ask me something!” She paused. “If I like your question, I might just give you a bonus life. A one up, if you will?”

She was hesitant to say anything, in case it hurt her chance of making it out of here. Eventually, she decided on something. “Why… Haven’t you already killed me?”

Enoshima glared at her. Her heart sank. “God you’re so predictable. Luckily, that’s the question I wanted to answer.” She grabbed Chiaki’s shoulder. “You pissed me off. Everything I worked for, years of effort. Just for you to survive? God, I hate your continued existence.”

“Huh?”

“That’s right, I hate everything to do with you. To the point where you still being alive, it causes me despair!” She cackled. “Never have I wanted a single person dead so much that them still being alive causes me more despair than outright killing them would!”

If this was anyone else, she’d be confused. “That doesn’t… Answer my question.”

“Doesn’t it? You are alive, and that causes me despair. Maybe even the greatest despair I’ve ever experienced! Buuuut! I’m still super mega pissed at you. You’re walking on very thin ice, pal. If you were to piss me off just an inch too much, well…” She stuck her thumb and finger out, putting them to her ear. “Kapow!” She stuck her tongue out and let her head fall limp. “Capice?”

She nodded silently. “Tell me… Why… Why me?”

“Oooh, that’s a fun one!” She grinned. “You’re such a good person! When you saved my life from that hope weirdo, well, I couldn’t help but fuck your shit up! Guess that goes to show that being a goody two-shoes gets you nowhere.”

Chiaki cupped her hand to the back of her head. Her blood had begun to dry. She couldn’t help herself from watching the screen with everyone. There wasn’t any audio, but she was used to silent games. She kept an eye on them while listening to Enoshima drone on.

**Ryota Mitarai**

The camera angle hadn’t allowed them to see what had happened. After Ikusaba had Nanami-san use the knife, they both left the frame. His keen eye noticed a few frames of a blur flying past, but other than that, nothing. That was, until a familiar gaze stared into the lens. It was only a moment before the screens cut out, but everyone instantly knew what that meant.

“Graaaaah! What the fuck!” Soda-kun shouted.

“C’mon, this door’s gonna budge any second now! Help me out here!” Owari-san continued her assault on the large red entrance.

“Hey, Akane… You’re just going to exhaust yourself. Calm down.” Nidai-kun scolded.

“Coach Nekomaru, you of all people should be helping here.” She replied.

He stayed quiet, crossing his arms. Tanaka-san began mumbling quietly. “It appears this door has an unbreakable devil’s charm, it is unable to be opened.”

“Ev’n ‘f ya do break outta ‘ere, whaddaya plan on doin’? We jus’ g’wan confron’ her? You’ll member what she done last time, ight?” The chef mumbled incoherently.

“For the last time, talk normally.” Koizumi-san chastised. “We can’t understand what you’re saying, perv.”

Ryota turned to the more quiet group, sitting off to the side. “Hey, uh, how do you plan on getting out of here?” He asked.

“Oh, oh, I know! The staff will notice we’re gone. And come and get us.” Sonia-san smiled.

“Are you fucking kidding me? You came down here all alone, ignoring Nanami-san. And now you think anyone is coming to save us?” The Yakuza crossed his arms. “You bastards already admitted you only came down here for the Imposter. And they got here last night.”

“Young mas… I mean, Kuzuryu-kun, we came here for you too.” Pekoyama-san stated. “As well as Hanamura-kun.”

“Bullshit. You had no clue he was down here.” He looked over at the chef. “The guy was stuck here before I was. Got no clue for how long, but he hasn’t eaten in days.”

“We have not seen you since before the trial. That is a long time to not have any food.” The Princess frowned.

“Tch, I’m fine. He probably is too. At least for now.” He looked up at the black screens. “Speaking of the trial, I assume it didn’t go well, seeing as she’s out and about.”

“It went great, actually. They… They actually got her to confess.” Ryota answered.

“Then why the fuck is she up there?” He yelled.

“Ikusaba is her twin, right?” Sonia-san beamed. “They must’ve pulled a classic twin-switcharoo!”

“A what?” Saionji-san asked. “It better not be some weirdo shit.”

“It is a common espionage tactic back home! Twins are taught how to disguise as one another to spy! It was simply Ikusaba pretending to be Enoshima to scare us.”

“A simple, yet effective tactic. Although I can say that that was the real Enoshima.” The Imposter grinned at the chance to show off their talent.

“Then how the fuck-?” Kuzuryu-kun started.

Mioda-san cut him off, speaking the first words since the assembly earlier. “She’s… She’s going to die. She’s going to kill her. Nanami-san’s probably already dead.” She stated, her usual tone gone.

“What the hell is up with you?” He quickly turned to her. “What the fuck did you do to her?”

“Such despairing words… You can’t let your hope fade away! For you Ultimates to escape here, your hope must be brimming!” Komaeda-kun frowned.

“Why… We’re going to die. Ikusaba’s trapped us in here and we’re going to die.” She moaned. “Ibuki is going to die in here…”

“Ahaha! There’s no need to worry, you won’t starve! I will gladly offer myself as a sacrifice!” The Lucky Student stared at his hand.

“What do you mean by that? Don’t say things that don’t make sense.” Pekoyama-san chastised. “Someone would notice us gone long before the effects of starvation began.”

“That isn’t what Ibuki is talking about…” She mumbled. “The vents are silent. Ibuki thinks there’s no air in here.”

“Huh!? No air? Don’t say things that don’t make sense, Punk bitch.” The Dancer probably wanted to sound assertive, but came off as nervous. “If there’s no air, what am I breathing right now, huh?”

“Now that you mention it, I do believe it was growing a little stuffy before you opened the door.” Imposter-san mentioned.

“So what, of course you have trouble breathing Mister Ham Hands! That doesn’t mean any-”

“For scum like me to steal air from the likes of you is unthinkable. I apologize.” Komaeda-kun interrupted. He closed his eyes, staying eerily still.

“Gah! He’s not breathing!” Sonia-san shouted.

“What the fuck, dumbass!? You need to breathe!” Kuzuryu-kun grabbed him by his shoulders.

“Komaeda-kun, what are you thinking!? Y-you’re not stealing our air!” Ryota looked at him, not sure what to do.

His face began to turn blue. Everyone stood around, unsure of how to stop him. He slowly teetered over, collapsing on the ground. It was clear he was struggling to stop himself from taking a breath, squirming around. The Yakuza continued to shake him to no avail. Eventually, his body stopped moving. His chest began to rise, his breathing returning. 

“I understand why he would think that, although it’s no use. Your body won’t allow you to suffocate.” The Imposter frowned. “If wakes up, don’t let him try again. It’s dangerous, and can damage your brain.”

“Huh? Where are you going?” Ryota asked.

“If the oxygen in here is limited, overexerting yourself would just waste it.” They pointed to the door. “And I figure the group over there should know about our circumstances.”

“Oh, alright. We’ll think of a way out, there’s gotta be one.” He smiled.

“Hm… Pekoyama-san, why don’t you use your sword to cut down the door? It’ll totally be like an anime princess warrior!” The Princess offered.

“I’m sorry to disappoint, but my blade is only bamboo. Even then, the door is sturdy. It would only serve to exhaust me.” She frowned.

The Yakuza crossed his arms. “Hey Mioda-san. You seem upset, what’s wrong?”

She had returned to silence. None of the others seemed to be willing to say. Their eyes fell onto Ryota. “Well, uh… You know she had her music club thing… I dunno much, but I think Ikusaba… She killed… Them.”

“God dammit.” Kuzuryu-kun pinched the bridge of his nose. “If that old bastard didn’t have shit on me… Fuck.” He cursed.

The Swordswoman glanced at him. “Who?”

“Nothing. Nobody that concerns you, anyways.” He got up and walked away on his own.

“I’ll… Keep my eye on him.” Pekoyama got up, following him over.

Ryota sat awkwardly, surveying the room for any possible exits. It grew increasingly clear how stranded they were. He found his eyes drifting over to the black screens, wishing for any way to see her. It was bad when they saw what was happening to her, but even worse now that it was left to his imagination.

**Chiaki Nanami**

Chiaki sat, listing off as many pointless questions as she could. Enoshima seemed delighted to answer each one. “How interesting! Is what I would say if that wasn’t so boring!” She laughed. “We just have different last names, it’s not a big mystery, alright?”

“Oh, okay…” She mumbled. “Why don’t you-”

“Woah!” The Fashionista interrupted. “One down! Thirteen to go!” She pointed at the screen.

Chiaki snapped her head to the screen. Komaeda-kun had collapsed on his side. “Huh? What’s wrong!? You said they had more than an hour, b-but…”

“Calm down, loser.” Her eyes narrowed, looking into the circular room. “Oh wait, isn’t that the guy who almost shot me? Oh my, it totally is! Upupu! Betcha wish he’d killed me now, don’t you?”

“I don’t-”

“Y’know, wanna hear something funny? I was just gonna send Yukizome through that maze, but when I met you I just…” She began to drool. “All that hope in you! You even stopped him from shooting me! I changed my mind, yeah you all liked your teacher, but when she was gone, who kept your class together?”

“I…”

“Ding ding ding! Correct! It. Was. You.” She flicked her nose. “To crush your hope would have been to crush everyone’s hope. It was gonna be so perfect. And then you decided that you wouldn’t die, you asshole. You know how hard it was to get everything right, just for you to live?”

She didn’t even bother trying to respond, knowing she’d be cut off.

“Hm. I’m tired of answering questions. It’s your turn.” She gave a malice filled grin. “Do you regret stopping him? Be sure to answer honestly, you wouldn’t wanna die over something so stupid, would you?”

“Uh, I…” Chiaki stared into her eyes, fear spiralling within her. “I don’t… No, I don’t.”

“Seriously? Like, really? After everything I did?” She seemed to get an idea. “Oh, I get it! Maybe I’ve been too tame, I can fix that if you want!” Enoshima got out of her chair, walking over to her sister. She grabbed something and sat back down. A small revolver was in her hand. “Alright, now what can we do with this? Oh, I know!”

She emptied all but one bullet from the chamber. Chiaki began to realise what she was going to do. “N-no, we can’t… That’s…”

“I can’t? Oh, but I’m pretty sure I can. Let’s see.” She pressed the gun to her own head. _Click._ “See, I can! Your turn.”

Enoshima turned the gun towards Chiaki. “Please, don’t!”

“Well it’s no fair if it’s just me.” She grinned, pressing it to her forehead. “Okay, Ten… Nine… Eight…”

Chiaki sat, shaking. She was ready for Enoshima to pull the trigger at any random number.

“Seven… Six… Fivefourthreetwoone.” _Click._

She gave a sigh of relief. It only lasted for a moment though.

“Okay! Their turn!” She hopped over to Kamukura, chained to the wall.

“Wh-why? They have nothing to do with this.” She rubbed her forehead where the barrel had been.

“I’m no bully though. To leave them out just because they’re unconscious is mean, don’t you think?” She held the gun to his head and, sparing the theatrics, pulled the trigger. _Click._ “Damn, alright Muku-chan!”

She skipped over to her sister, putting the gun to the back of her head. “D-don’t do this!”

 _Click._ The Fashionista returned to her seat. “Well then, the bullet’s in one of these, ain’t it.” 

“I guess so…” Chiaki mumbled, her anxiety growing. “Y-you don’t need to do this… Please don’t-” _Click._

While she pleaded, Enoshima already placed the gun against her head and pulled the trigger. At the sound of the empty chamber, her smile contorted. “Well we know what this means! This is great! Seeing your eyes fill with Despair with the knowledge that there’s no chance for you anymore! That last hope of yours fading away! I did always hate your annoying eyes!”

“No! Please! Don’t do this… Don’t kill me.” She begged.

“Oh, sorry, you’ve convinced me to change my ways and become a better person.” She said sarcastically. “Enough stalling, let’s get this over with. And by ‘this’ I mean your life.”

“Junko-sama…? A-are you-”

“Oh come the fuck on!” She spun around, facing her sister. Ikusaba had begun to stir. “Couldn’t have chosen a better time to wake up? Like, I don’t know, thirty seconds later?”

“Ah, shit… It hurts… Junko-sama…” She looked up.

Enoshima pointed the gun at Chiaki. “You wait right here.” She commanded.

It hadn’t even crossed her mind that the door to the room was still open and she would be able to leave any time. Not that she could, without her cane she wouldn’t make it far. And she wouldn’t abandon Kamukura with them anyway.

The Despair crouched down in front of her sister. “So much for the ‘uninjured’ soldier. Come on, get up.”

“Uh, ah, yeah okay.” She moved to push herself up. “Hng… I can’t… Oh… Oh no…”

Enoshima appeared confused for a moment. “Wait, did you…? How!?” She laughed.

“Junko-sama…? Help me… Please. Kamukura… He was too fast… ”

“Well, you’re pretty useless, y’know. Not only are you ugly, but now you can’t even do the one thing I needed you for.” She cackled. “And from one sister to another, I’m really needing a good hit of despair right about now.”

“Wh-what…? Junko-sama.” She must have realised what Enoshima was saying. “Wait, I can still be useful! I can still shoot! And… And… I’m your sister. I’ll get better… Please…”

“It gives my heart great joy to see your eyes fill with fear! Lean in close and I will whisper the last words you’ll hear.” She rhymed.

Chiaki tried to listen to what she said, but couldn’t quite hear it. A gunshot echoed through the room and Ikusaba’s body went limp. “Y-you…” Her heart began to beat faster, pounding in her chest. “She was your… S-sister…”

Enoshima got back to her feet. Blood now stained her prison jumpsuit. “All the better despair!” She tossed the gun to the side. “Sorry for using your bullet on her though. Guess you get to live for now!”

“H-how… How could you!?” Chiaki challenged.

“Psh, you care too much about that nobody. You should probably keep an eye on your friends.” She pointed to the screen. “Plus I’m getting changed so don’t look.”

**Ryota Mitarai**

Exhaustion was beginning to set in. Even the most active, like Owari-san, were now lying on the ground. Komaeda-kun was still unconscious. Ryota sat with Saionji-san, Sonia-san, and Mioda-san. None of them had spared a word after Pekoyama-san had left.

Imposter-san was moving between groups, checking in. Making sure that everyone was still doing well. Their constant moving must have taken a toll, as they soon collapsed in the centre of the room.

“Huh?” Ryota pushed himself up, ignoring his own fatigue. He stumbled over to their trembling form. A few others also mustered the strength to move, Soda-kun, Koizumi-san, and Kuzuryu-kun. “H-hey… Are you okay?”

“Oxygen deprivation… It’ll be fine… Someone will find us…” They muttered, taking deep breaths.

“C-crap… What should we do…?” The Mechanic pushed up his beanie. “We g-gotta get outta here, man…”

“Calm down, bastard. You’re wasting our air.” The Yakuza crossed his arms.

“You’re one to talk. I saw you sobbing over there with Peko-chan.” The Photographer mentioned.”

“Shut up! You don’t know what you’re talking about.” He shouted. “Er, sorry…”

“No, it’s alright. My fault.” She apologized.

“Hey, Imposter-san. C’mon… Let’s get you to the others.” He tapped their shoulder. They didn’t respond.

“Ah crap. Now what do we do?” Soda-kun complained. “Do we just leave ‘em here?”

“You are a boy, aren’t you?” She chastised. “Why don’t you drag them?”

“Are you crazy!? I mean, no offence but…” He groaned.

“They’ll probably be fine here.” Kuzuryu-kun stumbled to his feet. “The only ones here who could probably move them are Nidai and Owari, and they don’t look too good.”

“Yeah, they were punching that door for a while. They’ve exhausted themselves.” Koizumi-san frowned. “I should go check on them anyway…” She wandered back to the group near the door.

“I’ll stick with Peko. Mitarai, go make sure Sonia is okay. Soda, you stay here.” The Yakuza began walking away.

“Oh come on, how’s that fair? Mitarai gets to hang out with Miss Sonia and I get stuck alone?”

Kuzuryu-kun continued walking, ignoring him. Ryota returned to his group, taking a seat with them. “Hey, uh… Is Mister Ham Hands alright?”

“Yeah… I think so. Just overworked.” He answered. “Huh? Sonia-san?”

The Princess was leaning against the wall, her eyes shut. Saionji-san snickered. “Looks like Sleeping Beauty is finally out.”

“Sonia-chan fell asleep a little after you headed up.” Mioda-san said, her face still absent of her usual emotion. “Ibuki thinks the air is growing thin.”

“Well, yeah… Obviously.” The Dancer shook her head. “What about Mahiru-chan? Is she okay?”

“Uh, y-yeah she seemed fine… I think. I don’t know… I’m just really tired. It’s hard to think.” He mumbled.

“So? You’re a lazy nerd, aren’t you always tired?” She laughed.

“You know what I mean.” He sat down against the wall. “Someone will come… Soon… I know it.”

“Ibuki thinks we’re screwed.” The Musician frowned. “We only have a minute left… She thinks.”

“And how would you know?” Saionji-san taunted.

“When Ibuki used to throw concerts, a lot of people would show up. She needed to account for a lot of things. Audio levels, exit routes, and such. And that includes knowing how much air was getting into the building.” She answered. “Ibuki is basically a professional with this stuff.”

“Wahhh!” She wailed. “S-so I’m gonna die here!?”

“What? No you won’t. There’ll be a way out.” He assured. “Something’ll happen soon… I know it will.” As he said that, he could already feel his consciousness fading. A headache tore through his mind. “Y-yeah… Soon…”

“Ryota-chan, Ibuki thinks you’re looking a little pale.” She mentioned.

“A little? He’s paler than Komaeda.” Saionji added.

“Ah… I’ll be okay…” He pushed himself to his feet, the room spiralling. “C’mon… We need to get out of here.”

“Woah… Where are you going?” She grabbed onto his sleeve. “You’re gonna knock yourself out!”

Ryota tried to pull away, but that only served to knock himself over. He felt his grip on reality fading, his vision blurring. “Ha… Ah… Ha…” He panted.

Saionji said something, but his mind was too far gone to register it. A bright light appeared across the room from him. Is this it? He thought, closing his eyes.

A sharp pain against the side of his face snapped him back to reality. “Wake up dumbass!”

Ryota barely opened his eyes a crack, realizing that a wave of cold, fresh air had washed over him. It took a few deep breaths until his senses returned. The doors were open. “Huh?” The light from the bright hallway flooded the dark room.

A few figures moved around the room, staring around at the class. “Get up, someone’s here.”

He pushed himself off the ground, taking in the faces around him. “Y-you’re… You’re in Class 78, right?”

The tanned brunette helped him to his feet. “Woah, you’re super pale! We need to get you to the nurse’s office!”

He coughed a few times. “Are the others okay…?”

“I dunno… I just saw a bunch of you over here and rushed over.” She answered.

“Then get out of our way!” Saionji-san commanded, helping Mioda-san to her feet. “Go help the bitch and the creep.” She pointed at Sonia-san and Komaeda-kun.

“Um, okay…? You don’t need to be mean about it.” She frowned, stepping around them.

The Dancer grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the entrance. Standing there were a few members of the class that had rescued them. “Wh-why is everyone asleep? And why are you down here?” A brown haired boy with a bandage around his leg looked up from the unconscious group.

“There wasn’t any air down here…” He took another breath, as if to check if it was real. “We only had a few minutes left… Thank you.”

“Tch…” The tall blonde crossed his arms. “You wouldn’t have happened to find a redhead punk while you were down here, would you?”

“I don’t think so… Uh… Some of our classmates went missing, so we came searching down here and we found them. But then the door closed and we got trapped.”

“Fourteen of you, four of whom are conscious.” A girl with lavender hair noted. He looked around the room. Ryota, Saionji-san and Mioda-san were near the entrance. Pekoyama-san was cradling Kuzuryu-kun. “Excluding Tsumiki-senpai, one of you is missing.”

“Huh? Oh, Nanami-san!” He shouted. The newcomers turned to him, confused. “It-it’s Enoshima! She’s back, and has Nanami-san! Ikusaba is there too!”

They were all taken aback. “The fuck did you just say, asshole!? There’s no way she’s back, she was arrested!” A tall man with a long pompadour shouted. “I even have some of my… Contacts watching her. Quit shitting me.”

“He isn’t lying, Owada-san.” The Swordswoman walked up behind him. “She showed herself on the monitor up there.”

“H-hey, what the fuck!? Pekoyama, you wouldn’t lie to me, right?” He clenched his fist. “Where the hell is she!? That batshit crazy chick can’t run free!”

“Since when did you two know each other?” The blonde tilted his head.

“We’re, uh… Family friends.” He answered. “Who cares! We need to stop her!”

“We should leave a few to look after the ones still down here.” The girl with gloves crossed her arms.

“It’s alright bro, I’ll stay here. You go stop her! If you need me, let me know!” The black haired boy smiled.

“Y-yeah, I’ll stay too. I wouldn’t be much use in a fight.” The timid looking girl he recognised as Fujisaki-san shook her head.

“Alright! Let’s do this.” Owada took off in a run.

“What about Kuwata?” The blonde delayed once more.

“If Ikusaba is with Nanami-san, he might be with her!” The brunette responded.

“Fine. To have the honor of stopping the Junko Enoshima would be a great boost for the Togami family, after all.” He grinned.

They took off after the Biker, Ryota and the others following close behind.

**Chiaki Nanami**

Enoshima had changed out of her jumpsuit into her sister’s clothes. Chiaki was too focused on her friends to even notice. It wasn’t until she pointed it out that she did. “Gah, it’s a little tight, how scandalous! That flat bitch didn’t really spare much room, did she?”

She didn’t bother responding, instead focusing on Sonia-san passing out. “P-please… Someone… Help them…”

“Oh my, someone has balls, ignoring me and all.” Enoshima stepped in front of the screen, cupping Chiaki’s chin. “That’s enough to take off one of your lives. Ouch, down to one!”

“H-huh? But…” She pulled away. “St-stop… Please stop…”

“God you’ve really not been paying attention, have you? I’ll only stop when either, I kill you, or you kill me.” She grinned, reaching into one of her pockets. “Here you go!”

She pulled out a small pocket knife, handing it to her. “Wh… Huh?”

“You want it to stop, here’s your chance!” Enoshima grabbed Chiaki’s forearm, pulling it up to her own neck. “One slash and I’m gone forever! You can go on living a boring hope-filled life. Playing some stupid ass game forever.”

Chiaki’s hand shook. She was right, one slash and it was all over. Enoshima was still holding her arm, making sure she couldn’t pull away. “N-no… No matter what, killing is wrong! I won’t kill you.” She dropped the knife.

It clattered on the ground. “Wow, see this is what I mean. Can’t you see how boring your hope is? Letting your morals guide you? It’s fucking lame. C’mon! Why not try out a slice of despair of once?”

“I… I don’t…” Chiaki pushed Enoshima back. She landed in a puddle of blood, she couldn’t even tell who it belonged to. “I don’t care…”

“Dick move, I just got this outfit.” She complained, getting back up. “Wait, what don’t you care about?”

“Hope… Despair… I don’t care about either… I just want to play video games… With my friends.”

“Well I’ve got bad news for you! Your friends are about to die, and then you- What the fuck!?” She cut herself off, looking at the screen. “Who the hell is that!? Fujisaki? Ishimaru?”

“Wh… Huh? Did they escape?” Chiaki couldn’t help herself from smiling.

“Why can’t things just go my way for once?” She spun around towards Chiaki. “Alright, well, time’s up!”

“Huh? Wait, what?” Her momentary joy faded.

“At this point, it’s not even despairing. It’s just really fucking annoying.” She picked the pocket knife off the ground and began pacing around the room. “This is just the worst, don’t you agree?”

“N-no… Please… I don’t… I don’t wanna die!” She pleaded. “Please just leave me alone!”

“Calm down, I’ll give you one last chance! Convince me, and I’ll turn myself in! That sounds fair doesn’t it?” She offered. “Explain to me what you meant.”

“What I meant? What do you mean?” She shuffled back in her chair.

“That you don’t care about despair, or hope! C’mon, tell me how that’s possible.” Enoshima flipped the knife in the air.

“I-I just… Want to be normal… Live a normal life… With my friends. I never wanted to be caught up in this… This fight.”

“Psh, that might just be the most naive thing I’ve ever heard.” She cackled. “You do know you gave up your right to be normal when you came to this damned school, right?”

“I just… Wanted to play games… I never cared about the talent…” She defended.

“Oh? If you never cared about the talent, then why’d you accept? You don’t seem like the selfish type, y’know. Millions of kids wanna go here, and you just ‘don’t care’? Maybe you should have just given it up! Then you could finally have the normal life you always wanted! It seems like a win-win sitch to me. You get to live your normal boring life, and some other poor, hope-obsessed schmuck would be dying in your place!”

“No… If I wasn’t there, nobody would’ve been stupid enough to fall into your trap in the first place, I think.” Chiaki mumbled.

“Au contraire, mon ami! Like I said, you were a last minute decision. I already had Mitarai and Tsumiki around my finger, and was about to get my hands on Yukizome! Honestly, thinking about it now, it would’ve gone fine if you were anyone else.” She crouched down next to Kamukura. “If this dumbass didn’t have the hots for you, you’d be dead where you stand! Damn, now that’s despairing! Meticulously planning every detail of my entire plan, up to ten years in the future, and the one last minute decision I make fucks everything up!” She ran the blade across the man’s cheek, drawing a few drops of blood. 

“S-stop… Don’t hurt him!” She shouted.

“Oh, ohhhh! I see!” Enoshima got to her feet, standing over Chiaki. “I’ll be honest, I didn’t think it went both ways. Not to judge but, like, you could do way better. Buddy over there is so boring, like the definition of boring. He’s so boring he won’t shut up about how boring everything is!” She grabbed her hand. “Plus he smells like a sterilised hospital, like, c’mon. There’s about seven billion people I’d choose before him.”

“No, you’re wrong! He just doesn’t really understand people!” She retorted.

“Get a room.” The Fashionista rolled her eyes. “But I guess you’re saying if I kill him, you’d finally care about despair?”

“Huh!? N-no! Don’t, please!” She begged.

“Damn, sucks you’ll never feel that despair. I still need him. Anyway, where were we? Oh yeah!” She lifted the knife above her head. “You kinda failed to convince me that despair and hope are just things you can ignore. They’re always going to exist, and despair will prevail.”

“Wait! Stop!” Chiaki closed her eyes. “Please, I d-don’t care about hope or despair. You don’t always need to hope for something better, but that doesn’t mean there’s no room for it. You can just live, happy where you are.”

“Oh, I see! I guess that makes sense, in some boring, unchanging life. But, like, who would ever want to live like that? Can you even call that living?” She shook her head.

“Y-yeah… Yeah you can! If you’re happy where you are, there’s no need to hope for more. A-and if I’m with my friends, why do I need to hope for more?” She began to shake, keeping her eyes sealed.

“Woah, I don’t care! You’ve basically just explained to me why hope is shit, which I already know! So we’re on the same page!” She laughed. “Alright, well then, goodbye Chia-” A gunshot went off, followed by a blood-curdling scream. Chiaki felt a splatter of something over her head. Her eyes snapped open.

Enoshima was clutching her hand, a wealth of blood spurting from it. A finger of hers seemed to be missing. She spun around.

“Back away, or you die.” Came a familiar voice.

“Y-you’re awake!? Fucking hell, can shit stop happening in the nick of time?” She crouched down, grabbing something.

“This is your last chance, Enoshima. Back off or I’ll have no choice but to kill you.” He threatened.

She raised her hands in the air. “Alright, alright! Lemme just…”

In an instant, Enoshima had wrapped her arm around Chiaki’s neck. “Ack…” She was about to struggle when she felt something cold press against her neck. Her entire body tensed, frozen in place.

“Drop the knife, now.” He commanded, not even blinking.

“Well, it appears we’re in a stalemate now! You shoot me and Nanami’s blood’ll go flying. I kill Nanami and you’ll put a thousand rounds in me!” She giggled, the knife shaking against Chiaki’s skin. “Y’know, I have been wanting to ask you some questions, this seems like a good chance!”

**Ryota Mitarai**

The group consisted of Saionji-san, Mioda-san, and Pekoyama-san. As well as Togami, Naegi, Kirigiri, Owada, and Fukawa. The other three stayed down to tend to the unconscious. They rushed to the top of the long staircase.

“Graah, what the fuck!?” The Biker shouted, the first one through the passage. 

Ice chunks of varying sizes were falling from the sky. “Hmph, hail?” The Swordswoman followed him out.

Ryota threw his hands over his head. The hail slammed down against his arms. “Come on! We can’t stop moving!” He shouted.

“Yeah, we can’t falter now! We need to stop Enoshima!” The Lucky Student pulled his hood over his head.

The group of ultimates continued running. “You said you saw a video feed of where she was? Can you describe it?” Kirigiri asked.

“I think it was a classroom! There were chairs and desks against the wall!” The Dancer replied.

“That could be the new building or the old one.” Togami stopped in his tracks. “We can’t afford to split up any more. With Ikusaba on her side, we will barely stand a chance in combat as is.”

“A f-fifty-fifty chance? That’s the b-best we have?” Fukawa muttered.

“Wait… Ibuki might have an idea.” The Musician spoke. “The room looked abandoned. Ibuki thinks it’s the old school building. On the fifth floor. Ibuki found it… With her band…”

“Well, it’s better than nothing. We’ll be checking there, then.” The Heir commanded, taking the lead.

The others followed him, the hail giving way to rain. A crack of thunder rolled across the sky. They stepped into the building, heading quickly for the staircase. Ryota hadn’t been here since the last meeting about the Neo World Program, which felt like ages ago by now.

Once the group reached the top, they made the turn for the third floor. “Aaargh!” Came a wail from ahead of them.

Togami was staggered ahead of them, falling against a wall moments later. Revealing that his face was bloodied, his nose broken. His glasses had fallen and shattered against the floor. Ryota’s eyes moved from the Heir to his assailant, taking a step back.

A red haired man with a metal bat was standing ahead of them, bandages wrapped around practically every part of his body. The Animator was surprised that he could even move. He also noticed a bit of blood dripping from the bat.

“L-Leon-chan…? You’re alive!?” Mioda-san was the first to say anything.

“Kuwata? I know you don’t like Togami but that was fucking uncalled for.” Owada grinned, taking a few steps towards him.

“Wait, somethings not right!” Naegi grabbed the Bikers arm. Fukawa was staring at the ground.

The Baseballer said nothing, clutching the bat tighter. A laugh came from behind them. Ryota spun on his heel.

“Ts-Tsumiki-san? What have you done?” Pekoyama-san drew her sword, now aware of the danger of the situation.

“Oh, well, y’know. Ikusaba-san said as long as I kept him alive, I could do whatever I wanted with him!” She giggled.

“That… What did you do to Leon-chan!?”

“Well, there was this really good video I saw once, so I shared it with him!” Her laughing’s true malice was revealed. “Heh heh… hehehehe!”

“So you’ve turned him to despair?” Kirigiri asked coolly. “Why are you here now?”

“My beloved came back to me! She said to stand guard and we’d finally be able to bring despair to everyone!” She cackled.

“Oh yeah, well, how are you here!? The school would be all over you if you took a step outside your room, pigshit!” Saionji-san crossed her arms.

“Oh, well, that was easy!” She finally stopped laughing. “Putting my only restraint around my leg was an oversight. Such a common limb to amputate, it’s one of the first things I studied. So, to answer your question, I guess I haven’t really ‘stepped’ outside my room.”

“This c-crazy slut!” The Writer shouted. “G-get away from me!”

“Kuwata-kun, come on, you can’t let this get you down.” Naegi pleaded. “Talk to me, please.”

He remained silent, not even making eye contact.

“You won’t be getting any answers from him. Heh heh…” The Nurse shook her head. “When I told him about poor Maizono’s fate, he wouldn’t stop screaming. It got annoying fast so I just… Snip, snip. Now he can’t annoy anyone anymore.”

“H-Huh!? What d-does that mean!?” Fukawa crouched next to the unconscious Togami, looking away from his face.

“Argh, bitch! Quit joking around!” Owada turned to the Baseballer. “Talk to me, bro! Snap out of it!”

“With those wounds, how is he still moving?” The Detective asked, still analyzing the situation.

“Ahehehe. With every step his body aches. The only thing keeping him going is the despair of beating up his friends!” She reached into her pocket, pulling out a syringe.

“W-we have to get past them! Stalling just gives Enoshima more time.” Ryota realized.

“Leon-chan… Mikan-chan… Please let Ibuki help Chiaki-chan…”

“Y-You’re going to beat m-me up?” Tsumiki-san’s posture changed, turning timid.

“We’re not going to hurt you, just let us pass. We can help you even, I promise!” The Lucky Student reached out towards the Nurse.

“Naegi-kun! Watch out!” Kirigiri shouted, but it was too late.

He let out a whimper. She had shoved the syringe into his forearm, quickly pushing down on the plunger. He stumbled back, the Detective catching him before he hit the floor.

“What the hell was that, pig shit!?” Saionji-san bit on her fingernails.

“Hehehe… It’s too late to ask questions, whore.” The Nurse fired back.

Behind him came a crunch, followed by a groan. Owada was clutching his right hand, Kuwata having presumably hit it with his bat. In an instant, the Baseball Star rushed forward at him, raising the bat. Ryota closed his eyes as he brought the bat down. Instead of getting hit, he heard a clash above him. He slowly opened his eyes. A sword was locked between him and the bat.

“Move!” Pekoyama-san shouted, pushing him back. She parried the blow as if it was another sword.

Ryota stumbled away, the battle between the two growing fierce. The sound of metal on bamboo rang out. She fainted an attack, allowing for a strike to his arm.

He turned to the Nurse, figuring the Swordswoman was fine on her own. Kirigiri had pulled Naegi against the wall, his face going pale. Saionji-san and Mioda-san were standing against her alone. “Mikan-chan, please stop! We need to save Chiaki-chan!”

“Why would I let you do that, Ibuki-chan?” She grabbed a scalpel, quickly bringing her arm up. The Dancer was able to dodge back in time, but The Musician wasn’t fast enough. As if a seam came apart, blood poured from her face. It sliced from her jaw, across her nose, to her forehead.

She stumbled back, yelping in pain. “That’s it pig barf, you don’t get to hurt my friends!” Saionji-san shouted, lunging at Tsumiki-san. It only lasted a moment as the Nurse quickly overpowered her.

“Awh… You’re holding back! It’s not despairing at all for you to not want to hurt me!” She laughed, pinning her against the wall. Ryota quickly charged in, grabbing her arm. That only earned him a scalpel in the thigh. A wall of pain travelled through him as he fell to the ground.

Tsumiki-san wrapped her hands around Saionji-san’s throat, choking her against the wall. Pekoyama-san spun around to help, which only earned her a blow to the back. She quickly turned her attention back to her own fight.

Kirigiri left Naegi’s side, throwing her fist against the Nurse’s face. She released Saionji-san, who slid down against the wall. The brainwashed girl began to grapple with the Detective. They traded blows, Kirigiri clearly having the upper hand.

A snap came from behind, to which he spun around. The Swordswoman's blade had broken, leaving her with only a stump. Even then, she continued to stand against him, preventing him from advancing on Kirigiri. Even with her training, it was impressive how long she lasted unarmed. Unfortunately without a weapon, her time was limited. A lucky strike to the knee and Kuwata had won, tossing her aside.

Owada shot up, throwing a punch with his uninjured hand. His resistance didn’t last long, quickly suffering a blow to the head and falling aside.

Other than Kirigiri, everyone was disposed of. Togami was unconscious, Fukawa was showing no signs of helping, Naegi was asleep, Mioda-san was drenched in her own blood, Saionji-san had passed out, Pekoyama-san had collapsed, Owada was battered. That left Ryota. Even with his leg, he stumbled to his feet. He just needed to stall long enough for Kirigiri to win and they could figure something out from there.

“H-Hey, Kuwata… Come on, fight me!” Ryota shouted to no avail. “You… You pay attention to me… Or… Or I’ll beat you up!” The Baseball Star walked past him, heading directly for the Detective. “Get back here… Come on…” He needed something, fast. “Y-You. Uh… M-Maizono deserved what happened to her!”

Kuwata stopped dead in his tracks. Tsumiki-san seemed surprised, losing her footing. Kirigiri continued to overpower her. He gave a dark silent stare.

“Yeah, you heard me! She deserved-” In an instant, the Star sprung up. Ryota didn’t even notice being flung off of his feet, only landing on the floor. A warm liquid ran down his face, presumably blood. His mouth also filled with his own blood, his teeth flying out. He could only assume he had been hit by the bat.

His vision blurred as he fought against his own consciousness. Kuwata stood over him for a moment before turning back to his target. Ryota tried to move, but everything ached. He tried to speak but only managed to cough up blood. Kirigiri stood, her tie missing. He realized she must have wrapped it around the Nurse’s hands, as Tsumiki-san was now subdued.

Kuwata approached Kirigiri. Ryota wanted to do anything, but couldn’t find the energy to help. She spoke one last time, trying to dissuade him. “Kuwata-kun, I know this is futile but please, don’t do this.”

He swept her legs, ignoring her. With the Detective now on the ground, he raised the bat over his head. He took a deep breath and swung down.

“Stop! Sports and Activities are not allowed within the walls! Violence is not welcome in a school environment.” Came a faint shout. He couldn’t tell if it was far away or his hearing was fading.

Kuwata seemed startled, as his swing missed his target. He quickly turned to the newcomer. Ryota strained his eyes to see who it was. A boy with black hair clad in white was standing with his finger outstretched. “Ishi… Maru…?” Kirigiri mumbled.

“It is my duty to protect and serve my classmates, as well as my bro, when the time arises!” He continued, now approaching the Baseball Star. “And that includes protecting my classmates from themselves!”

“Bro…” The Biker began crawling towards him.

Kuwata remained as stoic as usual, lifting his bat. He took off in a sprint towards Ishimaru. He only made it a step before falling to the ground. Kirigiri clutched onto his ankle, causing him to trip.

He tried to get up, only to be knocked back down. Owada threw himself on top with the last of his strength. Kuwata struggled, reaching for his bat. Ishimaru quickly picked it out of his reach. “I am sorry, but I will have to confiscate this.”

“H-How… Did you find us…?” Kirigiri asked, clearly exhausted.

“Aha! My bro has a knack for finding trouble, so I gifted an emergency two-way GPS in case he ever needed my help!” He laughed.

“Go get security… Nanami-san is… Still in danger…” She muttered, barely audible. Ryota wanted to get up and find the class rep, but his energy was gone. Every part of him hurt, and his mind was about to give. The last thing he registered was a curt nod from Ishimaru, before falling from consciousness.

**Chiaki Nanami**

“I-I’m sorry…! Please… Don’t hurt me…” Chiaki muttered, staying as still as possible. “I don’t… Know what I did to you, but please…”

“Don’t sweat the small stuff, kid.” Enoshima laughed, keeping the knife pressed against her throat. “It’s a big picture thing, y’know!”

“Set the knife down. Step away from her.” Kamukura commanded.

“You don’t really seem like the one to be barking orders.” To emphasize her point, she tightened the grip around her neck. “I think you should drop the gun and listen to me.”

“If I discard my weapon, you’ll have no reason to keep her alive. If she was not at stake, you’d be dead where you stand.” He kept the weapon trained on her, barely blinking.

“Hmmmm? So you’re saying you’ll kill me if it means saving Nanami? Since when were you such a lame-o?” She pinched Chiaki’s cheek. “Trust me, people are just combinations of traits, she’s probably not that great when you boil it down. Unless you’re saying you like her looks, which I gotta say. There’s plenty of better looking fish in the sea! You can find someone to replace her.”

“You’re wrong. The right traits, and the right things done with those traits combined in the right order. Your view of the world is wrong. People are more than the sum of their parts. I’ve learned that.” He spoke.

“Ugh, get to the point.” She faked a yawn. “You’re talking about love, get over yourself.” If not for the situation, Chiaki would have denied it, but decided it was a bad time. “You love her, and that’s why I can’t wait to slit her fucking throat! Maybe you’ll finally come back around to despair after that.”

“If you kill her, I would personally erase every trace of despair off the globe. Beginning with you.” His gaze never wavered, locked onto the blade.

“Bummer, you really did screw everything up, didn’t you?” She squeezed her neck to indicate she was talking to her.

“I don’t… I didn’t mean to… Please don’t… Kill me…” She mumbled out.

“Fine, fine, I have some time to spare.” Enoshima sighed. “Okay, Kamukura~! You’re going to answer my questions or you’ll end up the last one still alive in this room. First, where’d you get the gun?”

He seemed reluctant to answer, but complied. “I had it in my pocket, it is the one Komaeda threatened you with.”

“Oh! You kept that!? It jammed it’s first shot and left that lucky loser alive. If you’re using that one, I guess I can just kill her and walk away!” She cackled. Chiaki froze, unable to tell when Enoshima was being serious or not. “Ahahaha! Okay, second question! My sister was competent enough to avoid cameras and chose an off-grid room. So how’d you find her?”

“Yukizome. She came to me saying Nanami was in danger. I deduced the rest from there.” He stated, keeping his aim. _Yukizome-sensei helped me?_ She thought, a spark of hope appearing inside her.

“Jeez, the bitch snitched? That’s so annoying. I guess lobotomy doesn’t work, seeing as you both betrayed me.” She whined.

“Saying I betrayed you is a fundamental misunderstanding of our relationship. I was never allied with despair, I simply seeked a solution to my boredom. You failed to deliver where Nanami has.” He tilted his head. “You are wearing her outfit. Ikusaba is dead, I presume. Why?”

“How contradictory! You say despair is boring, but right after you ask why I killed my own sister. Quit denying your basic feelings and let loose.”

“Since we last met, I’ve learned unpredictability doesn’t correlate with relieving my boredom. Yes, it grants me momentary pause, but no more. Forming a meaningful relationship has successfully filled that hole.” He interrupted. Chiaki could feel her own heart pounding in her chest. Something ran down her face, she couldn’t tell if it was blood or tears.

“Oh man, you’re so right! I should just get over despair and go make a friend, that’ll totally work!” She mocked. “Or maybe I just kill her and you’ll shoot me! And when Chiaki-tan’s friends show up they’ll find her drowning in a puddle of her own blood!” 

She could feel the knife digging into her skin more, a gasp escaping her. “A-ah… Please don’t… Don’t kill me…!”

“You wanna live? Why?” Enoshima dropped the playful tone. “You really wanna continue living in this world? You know how controversial you are, don’t you? You saw how much the people hate you. If I even think about moving this knife from your neck, he’ll shoot me without a second thought. And who do you think my death’ll be pinned on?”

“Nanami, don’t let her manipulate you. Enoshima has been proven guilty by her own admission. A year from now, even her most devoted fans will have moved on to the next star.” Kamukura said, glancing into her eyes for a moment. It was so quick she might have imagined it.

“Sure they’d move on, but that’s only until they see her on the street.” Enoshima laughed. “All it takes is one creep with a grudge and, boom, you’re getting the shit kicked out of you!”

“Huh…? I… But I didn’t do anything to them… Why would they do that?” Chiaki mumbled, too focused on the knife digging into her skin.

“Like I said, don’t listen to-”

“Like I said, they’re creeps.” The Fashionista interrupted. “They’re the losers who buy all of my magazines! They might move onto the new big thing, but they’d never forget the girl who stole their goddess from them.”

“Nanami, ignore her. It’s alright, you’re alright. She’s not going to hurt you anymore. For every one of her devotees, there are endless amounts of good hearted people who would step in and protect you. You don’t need to worry.” He assured.

“I’m not gonna hurt her? I literally have a knife to her neck, and you’re saying I can’t hurt her? Let’s see some real carnage!”

“Ah! Stop, stop, please!” The knife broke her skin, a few drops of blood seeping from the new cut.

“Any further and you’re dead.” He threatened. “Drop the knife.”

“Oh ho! How commanding. It’s not gonna work, but I applaud the effort. Or, I would if I could move this knife without being plastered against that wall.” She kept the weapon where it was, stinging Chiaki’s neck.

“What do you plan to do shortly? You mentioned Nanami’s friends would soon show up. Do you plan to stall until then?” He asked.

“If you don’t quit it, sure! I mean, when they show up, I’d say you’d be out of time!” She laughed. “I mean, what’ll they think when they find you and I here? I’d wager they’d see you pointing a gun suspiciously close to Chiaki-tan’s head and get in the way.”

Kamukura lifted his cuffed hand, rattling the chain. He took a moment to think. “If I set down my weapon, you kill Nanami. If I shoot you, Nanami still ends up dead. If I wait, you’ll be able to kill her. It appears _I_ am out of options.” He put emphasis on the ‘I’.

“I see what you’re doing, but it’s not going to work.” Enoshima said, probably smiling. “Two perfectly logical adults and a whiney stupid brat walk into a bar. One adult expects the brat to figure out the only way to save her life. Too bad!”

Chiaki tried to think of a way out. Kamukura wasn’t able to do anything, it was up to her. But she couldn’t come up with anything. She slowly raised her hands, grabbing Enoshima’s arm, futilely trying to wrench it away. “L… Let go…” Each word seemed to only push the knife further in.

“Nah.” She denied bluntly.

“Hng… Gah…” Chiaki huffed, continuing to tug on her arm. “Ah… Hah…” She reluctantly released her grip, wincing in pain. Her body ached, both from new and old wounds. The Despair behind her giggled. If this was a game, this is where she’d need to do a quick time event to escape.

The Gamer took a deep breath, straining the cut on her neck. She raised her arm, bending it up. As fast as she could, she swung it back. As soon as it made contact, a loud bang rang out. “Aagh!” Came a shout from behind. The pressure on her neck lifted, the knife clattering to the ground. Chiaki shot out of the chair, getting as far away from Enoshima as possible who was clutching a new wound to her shoulder.

It took her a few moments to collect her thoughts, before looking around the room. She crawled over and rifled through The Fashionista’s discarded jumpsuit. After a few moments, she found a key chain. She tossed it over to Kamukura, who quickly released himself.

“Nanami, I figured you didn’t want me to kill her, so I only injured her enough to subdue her. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you with this.” He stood, blood still seeping from his own wounds.

“W-Wait… Are those going to be okay…?” She asked. The small cut on her neck hurt, so she could barely imagine how much a gunshot would.

“They both only skimmed me. I’m alright.” He said calmly.

“Hold up! I’m not done with you yet!” Enoshima clambered to her feet, clutching her wounded shoulder with her mangled hand. “Get back here!” She grabbed the knife from the ground.

Kamukura lifted the gun, pointing it at her. “This won’t end until you’re dead, is what you’re saying.”

“N-no! You can’t kill her. No matter what, killing is wrong! Even her.” Chiaki protested.

“As long as she lives, she’ll escape and hunt you down. The only way to end it is to kill her. Then you can truly begin to go back to normal.” He continued.

“Puhuhu! After everything I’ve done to you, you still won’t kill me? For you to live in despair the rest of your life, knowing I’m always going to come back-” Enoshima cut herself off. “Ah, who am I kidding? Even I can’t spin that hope to despair. You really do sicken me.” She flipped the pocket knife in her hand. “Alright, those eyes always did piss me off!” The Despair took off in a sprint, grabbing Chiaki by the throat. She raised the knife above her head, right over her eye.

“I’m sorry… Nanami-san.” Kamukura said quietly. Another gunshot. Chiaki felt more blood splatter over her face. Enoshima tumbled over, onto the ground.

“Hck… Hng…” Enoshima wheezed, clutching her chest. “Here it comes… The great despair of death…” Her breaths began to slow. “This… This is… This isn’t despairing… At all…”

Junko Enoshima stopped moving, her head tilting towards Chiaki. She was dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a lot of fun to write, so I hope you enjoyed. I wanted to make sure this worked out and was cohesive, so that's why it took a little longer than most chapters.


	17. Aftermath

**Chiaki Nanami**

Chiaki shut her eyes, the image burned into her mind. “Y-y… You killed her…!” She pulled up her hood, wanting to find some comfort.

“I’m sorry, I had no choice.” He said quietly. “She was going to keep hunting you down. It would be an endless struggle. She almost killed you this time. If I were to let her retry her plan, it wouldn’t have gone as well as this time.”

“‘As well as this time’? T-two people died… How can you say this went well!?” She shouted.

“I see. Even those who wanted you to die should have lived.” He stated, as if he was realising it for the first time.

Chiaki was startled by the touch of his hands, her eyes flying open. She was met by Enoshima’s confused expression as blood poured from her injuries. Kamukura swiftly lifted her off the ground, cradling her in his arms. “What are you doing…?”

“You’re hurt. I should treat your wounds.” Kamukura mentioned, setting her in the chair she was sitting in a minute ago. He grabbed her hand, looking at her hurt finger. It felt like so long ago that Ikusaba had forced her to play that knife game. The image of Enoshima killing her sister flashed through her mind, the curiosity of what she had said growing. The only two people who knew it were now dead. “It will require disinfectant, but will heal fine alone.” He said, returning her to the situation.

“You… Why are you so calm? Y-you just killed someone!” She argued.

“Since the beginning of my existence, I’ve felt nothing but boredom. Enoshima had promised an escape, and although she showed me not everything was predictable, the boredom was still there. That was, until the day she tortured you. You showed me hope, but more importantly, what it feels like to care. About someone. About anything.” He said as he examined the cut on her neck. “This will require bandages, I’ll apply pressure for now.” He cupped his hand around the cut, carefully enough to not choke her.

“Ah…” The touch slightly stung. “Th-that doesn’t help… You killed someone because of me. That’s just… Wrong. No matter what.”

“The choice was you or Enoshima, I chose you. It was a decision that gave me no pause. I need to remove your hood.” He moved behind her, keeping his hand in place. She winced as he began inspecting the back of her head. “The wound is consistent with that of an average Baseball Bat. Likely sustained concussion. The blow broke the skin but no more. It’ll most probably cause a headache and increased irritability. It should heal within a week.”

“Stop brushing me off… You killed someone… I know you did it to protect me, but that just makes it worse.” She pulled away from him, pulling her hood back up.

“You confuse me. You should be happy. Your tormentor cannot harm you anymore.” He frowned.

“You don’t get it… Th-This was one of those games where you can choose to spare the final boss. But you didn’t…” She stumbled over her own words. “I think…”

“Your metaphors are nonsensical.” His eyes widened. “The security has arrived, they are on this floor. I need to leave. We can continue this discussion later.” Kamukura stated, opening a window. He looked back at her for a moment before climbing through.

As soon as he left her view, the door flew open. “Ah, Nanami-senpai! Do not fret, you are being rescued!” A boy with black hair smiled. “Please come with me- Raaargh!” He shouted, seeing Enoshima.

A patter of footsteps stormed down the hall. “What the hell are you screaming about!?” Sakakura-san pushed himself past. “Oh shit…” He pulled out a radio, saying something inaudibly. “Nanami… Did you do this…? I, uh… Shit…”

“N-no… I didn’t… She attacked me… And killed Ikusaba… And then, um…” She trailed off.

“Listen, you don’t gotta talk about it now… Just, you shouldn’t be in here… Okay?” He sighed.

“I… I don’t have my cane…” She mumbled.

“Uh, okay… Ishimaru, help her. Get her out of here.” He commanded.

“Yes, sir!” The Moral Compass nodded, walking over to her. “Please come with me.” He grabbed her hand, helping her to her feet. “Ah, you’re hurt. Allow me to take you to the infirmary!”

“Okay… I guess…” He draped her arm over his shoulder, wrapping his arm over the small of her back. She flinched at the touch, but appreciated the support. Together, they left Sakakura, heading to the stairs. She hadn’t even realised where she was until she was outside, recognising it as the fifth floor. He helped her down the stairs.

Ishimaru looked back to see her footprints, trailing blood. She hadn’t even noticed the blood sink into her soles. “S-so Ikusaba is also…”

“Yeah… Enoshima… She murdered her…” Chiaki huffed.

“I see… They were sisters… Ngh… How could she…?” He groaned, helping her down to the third floor. “She’s a monster… What she’s done to you is unthinkable…”

“Y-yeah… I know…” The same tired words offered her no solace. She sighed as they reached the next stairs. “H-huh…?” He once again helped her down.

A large group of unconscious students were slumped over. “What…? Nanami? You’re supposed to be dead?” A weak voice came from one of them.

“Ts-Tsumiki-san…? How are you… Here? What did you do to them!?” She shouted.

The Nurse struggled against an orange tie, wrapped around her hands. Her face was pale. “Where is Enoshima-sama!? What did you do to her!?” Chiaki’s eyes drifted down, to her legs. One was fine, but the other was a bloody stump.

She covered her eyes, looking away. “Huh? Mioda-san!? What happened?” Her face was covered in blood, a gash from her cheek to her forehead.

“Nanami-senpai, please excuse me, but we should get going. They will be okay. You should see someone about your cuts.” Ishimaru kept walking, pulling her along.

“I-I can’t just leave them there…” She protested.

“The security teams have already got that covered. They’ve already taken Kuwata-kun and Kirigiri-san to the infirmary.” He grinned.

“Okay… But still… They’re hurt…”

“I’ve been given an order from a superior. I can’t disobey.” He said, a slight sympathetic tone in his voice.

Chiaki glanced back towards them. “I… I guess.” She mumbled, reaching the next staircase.

Once at the bottom, they made their way to the exit. The snow from earlier had given way to rain, a crack of lightning stabbing across the sky. 

**Juzo Sakakura**

_Why? Why am I happy?_ After Nanami had left, he collapsed in a corner. He’d ordered the rest of his team to escort the injured students to the infirmary, so he could be alone. Alone with the cadavers once known as the Ultimate Fashionista and the Ultimate Soldier. Every muscle within him was shaking, both with anger and relief. Enoshima was finally gone, dead, no longer a threat to anyone he cared about. Even though he asked, he knew Nanami hadn’t done this. He forced himself to his feet, looking between the two bodies.

Ikusaba was covered by a blanket, blood soaking through. Juzo lifted the edge, revealing a single shot to her jaw. He set it down, turning to the other body. She was clearly more injured, three bullet wounds piercing her. One to her hand, one on her shoulder, and presumably the fatal shot to her chest. He was about to step away when he heard the door opening.

The figure standing there erupted into a fit of laughter. “Who got her? I mean I wish I did, but y’know, a dead bitch is a dead bitch all the same.” A familiarly shrill voice came from their mouth.

“What the fuck are you doing here!? You can’t be out, especially not now! My squad is all over the campus!” He shouted.

“Ooh, Juzo-chan. Trust me. If I wasn’t here, a certain corpse would be walking and a certain Gamer would be in her place.” Yukizome said, dejected.

“The hell does that mean?” He pushed his hand through his hair. “Wait, did you do this? Did you… Kill her?”

“Psh, I wish. But bullets aren’t my style. Mine’d be a lot more painful and drawn out. My bet is Kamukura since he was here and all.” She stepped into the room, crouching down in front of the body.

“Huh? He was here? When!?” Juzo began looking around the room in case he’d missed him.

“The window’s open, ain’t it? My bet’s he climbed out.”

“Yeah, except that we’re on the fifth floor. Nice try though.” He mocked.

“Alrighty then, you don’t believe me? You do you. But someone left handcuffs there, and I wonder who was attached to them.” She pointed to the heater.

“It was probably Nanami. Enoshima tied her down or something.” He didn’t know why he was arguing, but didn’t feel like losing.

“Hmm, well, you saw Chiaki-chan’s wounds, right? I don’t think they’d be enough to leave this much blood.” She sighed. “Meh, you can just run a blood test. My class rep is O-Type, for your information.”

“Uh, yeah, thanks.” He groaned. “Why are you even here? Aren’t you into despair or something? But you hated Enoshima so wouldn’t that give you hope?”

“Ah, ah! Y’see, when brainwashing me, she made a big ol’ mistake. She made me love her, so now that she’s dead, I have so much despair!” Yukizome giggled. She stood up and raised her foot, bringing it down with a sickening crunch. A wealth of blood shot up.

“Argh! Ugh! What the fuck!?” He recoiled, falling backwards into one of the chairs. Enoshima’s head was now a mess of bone and brain. “What the fuck are you doing!?”

“Oh, come on! Are you telling me you didn’t wanna do this? Be honest, I saw the way you were looking at her. You wanna join in, so just embrace it!” She hopped up, falling back on the Analyst, another squish coming from the landing.

Juzo got up, grabbing her by the arm. “Cut it out.” He tugged her away, her outfit now stained with blood. “The hell do you think you’re doing!?”

“I’m just having some fun, Juzo-chan! You oughta loosen up every once and awhile.” The Housekeeper tapped his nose.

“Are you forgetting the last time I ‘loosened up’, this happened to you? And now practically every student is hurt. So excuse me if I’m a little wound up.” He tightened his grip around her arm. “Not to mention this is a crime scene, and you’re tampering with it. What am I supposed to say when they ask why her skull’s caved in?”

“I mean, you could always sell me out! That’d be super despairing!” She pouted. “Or would you turn yourself in in my place!? Ugh, that’s just the kinda thing you’d pull.” Her smile returned. “Oh, oh! I know! Take off your clothes!”

“Huh? The hell do you mean?” He winced, looking away. “I’m gonna keep my clothes on, so fuck off.”

“Ah man, so close. I guess I could just peek again when you’re in the shower.” She frowned.

“You… What?” He groaned. “Whatever, just… Get out of here before someone finds you.”

“Right-o!” She saluted, pulling away from his grasp and dashing through the door.

Juzo sighed and rubbed his face. He was tired of not being there when he needed to. Time after time, he was moments too late. Yukizome-san, Munakata-kun, even Nanami. His one job was to protect them, and he had failed. He grabbed a chair, throwing it out the open window. The sound of it shattering five stories down, it snapped him back to reality.

**Izuru Kamukura**

Exactly three hours had now passed since Enoshima’s death. Izuru decided that the underground would now be swarming with security, so it was unsafe. Something was puzzling him, though. The Despair had only ever tormented and tortured her, so why was Nanami mad? He had no clue what to think. It was illogical. Even knowing The Gamer was unpredictable, this especially seemed to be a deviation. His only course of action was to talk to the only other connection to his past self.

That was the train of thought that led him here, a room with a small bed. The time passed slower than he’d ever experienced. His perfection stuck on a single imperfection. Exactly three hours and four minutes after Enoshima’s death, his struggle was finally broken. “What the fuck!?”

His eyes snapped to the figure in the bed, now wide awake. “Hello again, Kuzuryu.”

“Back the fuck up, I have a gun!” He shouted.

“No you don’t. Your weapon was confiscated when you were taken here.” Izuru blinked.

Kuzuryu looked around the room. “Huh!? How did you know that!?” He continued his protest. “You… You… Fuck you! What you did to Nanami… Bastard!”

“I have since amended my mistakes.” He was unsure of the truth in his words, but said them anyway. “Enoshima is dead.”

“What? Don’t screw with me!” He paused for a moment. Izuru recognised this as him recollecting the prior events. “Sh-shit… Nanami… Is Nanami-san okay!?”

“Yes. I dispatched of Enoshima before she could harm her.” He stated.

“W-wait… You killed her? But you were working with her! Quit lying to me fucker!” He swore.

Izuru was growing impatient. It took him a moment to recognise the sensation, never having felt it before. “I was never working with her. She simply tried and failed to show me something entertaining. Speaking of which, I wanted to discuss something with you specifically.”

“The hell do you want with me!? Y-You pulled that shit with my sister to save your own skin. Don’t try to act like you actually knew her. After Ikusaba got me, I thought about it and realised you were bullshitting me!”

“You are partially correct. I never met her. I didn’t even exist while she was alive. Yet the owner of this body did. And he was in the same class as her,” He felt momentary pause before continuing. “And he’s the one who talked to you then.”

“Don’t tell me this is some split-personality shit! Plus, even if you were in her class, I think I’d remember her mentioning some long-haired creep.”

“I am Izuru Kamukura, and the owner of my body is Hajime Hinata.” He stated. “He was simply a talentless reserve course student, like your sister. He was erased and replaced with me. The school wanted to create artificial talent, and I am the result.”

“The fuck!? Seriously, what the fuck!? How did… Was it fucking… Ugh…” He sighed.

“You are still suffering from the effects of Oxygen deprivation. Your thought process will be stunted when you hear this.” Izuru’s eyes were illuminated in the dark room. “They performed multiple lobotomies. Funded by the reserve course and anonymous backers. The Steering Committee was the driving force behind the project. Therefore the obvious conclusion is that your clan was involved.”

“Are you saying I… Bullshit, we wouldn’t… You’re accusing us of funding human experimentation!” He paused, closing his eyes. “You… Shit… Fucking shit… That bastard… So you’re here for revenge? Listen… You can kill me, but just leave Peko outta it, okay? She has no idea.”

“I’m not going to kill you. I wouldn’t be here for a reason as boring as revenge.” He washed his hands in the sink. “As I said, your sister knew Hinata. That makes you a strong connection to this body’s past. That’s how he was able to emerge when we last met.”

“So… Wait, what do you want!?” Kuzuryu wiped his forehead, clearly relieved by the fact that he wasn’t going to die.

“You are a strong connection to our past, but not the strongest. Hinata was especially close to Nanami, as was she. When offered, he accepted the chance to partake in the Kamukura Project, and disappeared. A year later, I was finished.”

“Huh? Nanami-san… I didn’t know she had any other friends. Wait, are you saying that asshole abandoned her for talent?” He clenched his fist. “A year ago… That’s when Natsumi… Did he… He was friends with her too. So that’d mean…?”

“As far as I’ve learned, a series of unfortunate events led to his decision.” Izuru solemnly nodded. “Two of his friends were murdered in succession. Since dubbed the Twilight Syndrome case. After the murder of Sato, he wanted to comfort those in the main course he knew were close to them. He, of course, was denied entry. Hinata blamed his lack of talent and signed onto the project.” Izuru felt a strange familiarity while explaining something that he’d never experienced. “Since Nanami’s failed execution, I’ve been drawn to her. Likely from Hinata’s affection for her.”

“S-So you’re asking me… Listen, if you’re coming to me for relationship advice, I’m the wrong guy. Okay?”

“I have seventeen unique talents devoted to romance, I wouldn’t need to come to you for that.” He rubbed his self-stitched bullet wound. “As I said, I’ve killed Enoshima. Moreso, I killed her as she was about to murder Nanami. Yet for reasons I am unable to comprehend, she was upset with my actions. As someone with a connection to Nanami and partially to Hinata, explain.”

“The fuck? I don’t… Listen, I don’t know this Hajime Hinata. A-And this is something you need to talk to Nanami-san about…” He rolled his eyes. “But still… You killed someone in front of her… Of course she’d be pissed.”

“Why? I shouldn’t need to remind you what Enoshima did.”

“You don’t, but even I fucking know that’s a terrible fucking idea.” Kuzuryu sighed. “Of course Nanami-san is pissed. The Class Rep I know would never want anyone to die, no matter what. Yeah you did what you needed to do, but there’s still consequences to everything. Good or bad.” He averted his eyes.

“You are speaking from experience. Elaborate.” Izuru said, not sparing a word.

“Bastard… Just… Don’t tell anyone.” The Yakuza scratched the back of his head. “That Sato… She was the one who killed my sister. And when I found out, I just fucking… I killed her, okay!? It just… She killed my sister… She deserved it… It needed to happen. But still, I didn’t think about what… What that was going to do.” He groaned.

“You are a Yakuza, and she dishonored your family. It is a natural reaction.” He stared into his eyes.

“That’s not what I’m fucking saying! I did what I needed to do… But that still hurt people. People I cared about.” He sighed. “Sato was Koizumi-san’s friend. Since their childhood. After I murdered her, she just… It fucked her up bad, man. And then Komaeda-kun tried to stop the exams because of that, and that got him and Yukizome-sensei kicked out… And Nanami-san kept us all together through that…” His eyes shot open. “And all through that, her friend was missing… But she still took care of us… And… And fuck! That bitch almost killed her for that!?” He rubbed a tear out of his eye.

“I see. Goodbye.” Izuru opened the door.

“Wait, where the fuck are you going!?” Kuzuryu shouted.

“I’ve gotten my answer. I will use this to talk to Nanami.” He stepped out, shutting the door before Kuzuryu could say anything.

**Byakuya Togami**

Byakuya’s head ached. As soon as the medical team let him move, he left his room. Last he remembered, it was hailing, but it had since turned to rain. A thunderstorm at that. The hope of making it to the library was crushed as he heard a shout behind him. “Hey! Togami-kun, where are you going!?”

He spun around. “Asahina, what do you want?”

“Aaaah!” She screamed, directly into his face. “I’m sorry, I thought you were someone else… Uh… Do you happen to know where Togami-kun is?”

“I am the Ultimate Affluent Progeny. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my way.” He sneered.

“Woah, are you sure!? Your face is like, all screwed up! I got it, you’re that Ultimate Imposter everyone is talking about!” She slammed her fist into her palm.

“I am not that identity thief, thank you very much. I am Byakuya Togami. You’re getting on my nerves.” He pushed up the replacement glasses he’d been given.

“Alright, well, if you say so.” She shrugged. “Everyone’s meeting up to talk about Kuwata-kun, so, like, you should come with me.”

“I see… And why would I want to talk about the man who tried to murder me?” He sighed. “Where?”

“Everyone’s meeting up in Naegi-kun’s room since he’s like, y’know, super sick still.” She rolled her eyes.

“Still? Other than his leg, which I wouldn’t classify as ‘sick’, he’s not had any health issues.” Byakuya raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, he's super sick. That nurse injected him with something I guess. And well, he’s really pale and sweaty.” She crossed her arms.

“Nurse? Wait, what nurse?” He asked. She opened her mouth to reply, but he interrupted. “Don’t bother trying to explain it. Just take me to him.”

“Jeez, alright… Um, well, everyone in 77-B is hurt, and everyone but me, Ishimaru-kun, and Fujisaki-san in ours. It sucks so much.” She pouted. “Anyway, they didn’t have enough room in the nurse’s office so everyone’s being taken care of in their room.”

“So they’re in Naegi’s room. You should’ve opened with that.” He began to walk over, not bothering to talk any more with Asahina. After doubling back, he opened the door.

“There you are! The fuck was the hold-up?” Owada shouted.

“The hold-up was your messenger is an idiot.” He took an open seat. “Is he going to die?”

“Who? Kuwata-kun, or me?” The sickly boy said with a shaky voice. “I’m gonna be fine, she got me with a slow acting poison, I guess. Luckily it’s one with an antidote so I’ve got nothing to worry about. And, uh, Kuwata-kun is… Tied up in his room.”

“Tied up? And why would that be? Can our lackluster security team only afford a single ankle collar?” He asked sarcastically.

“You were unconscious when everything happened. I’ve deduced that Ikusaba gravely injured Kuwata-kun. Something changed her mind, as she took him to class 77-B’s Mikan Tsumiki, the Ultimate Nurse. She was told to keep him alive, and did so. Although, it wasn’t all she did…” Kirigiri trailed off.

“Hmph, out of everyone, I wouldn’t have thought you’d be the one to clam up at the mention of… What exactly.” He grinned.

“She cut out his tongue! It’s super hot. If only she did it to an actually cute boy!” Fukawa, or more accurately the Serial Killer within her cackled. “If I were to lose my trademark tongue, I’d just keel right over!”

“She did that, but it isn’t what caused me pause.” The Detective continued. “Tsumiki forced him to watch the video that converted her to Despair. All the while taunting him about Maizono-san’s… Passing.”

“Gh… And that’s why he attacked me?” Byakuya adjusted his glasses, as they slid down his nose.

“Precisely. Later, Enoshima showed up and told them to guard the old school building. In their brainwashed state, they agreed. Tsumiki still had her ankle cuff. Using what I assume was unsanitized equipment, she amputated her own foot.” She crossed her arms. “I believe that sums up the events prior.”

“M-Maybe if I was there for him, he’d be okay.” Fujisaki whimpered.

“I doubt it. The way it unfolded was a favorable scenario. If we hadn’t gone down, then the entirety of Class 77-B would have died. And Enoshima would have survived.”

“Survived? So you’re saying…?” Byakuya looked away.

“She is dead, yes. They’ve said it was Nanami-senpai in self defense.”

“I must say, I hold no sympathy towards her. But even then, to lose two classmates in such a short period of time…”

“Three. Enoshima murdered her sister as well.” Kirigiri frowned.

He felt his face twitch. “I see… To think I once considered myself close with either of them.”

“So, about Kuwata-kun-”

“What about him?” Byakuya cut the Moral Compass off. “He has fallen to Despair. What do you expect me to be able to do about it?” He got out of his chair. “I have somewhere to be. And a letter to write.” As if to punctuate his sentence, a roar of thunder echoed across the school.

“The… The fuck do you mean!? We can’t just ignore him!” Owada shouted.

“Don’t group me in with you. My goal of finding Kuwata has been completed, therefore I am no longer obligated to work with you.” Byakuya turned to the Serial Killer. “Don’t follow me, not even you.” He promptly left before she could respond.

**Chiaki Nanami**

The storm grew worse as she stayed in her dark room. Chiaki pulled her blanket over her head, muffling the rain. Everything felt off, her senses numbed. After being questioned by security, they got a doctor. He took an hour to come to the same conclusion that Kamukura had.

The bandage around her neck was tight, like wearing a choker. Her fingers were also wrapped, making it hard to play games. Not that she could’ve anyway, as she had a concussion. The doctor made a point of advising her to stay away from screens, or any bright light. The minutes dragged on after he left, unable to find anything to entertain her. A few consoles were tantalisingly close, but she’d decided to follow the doctor’s orders.

Chiaki buried her face into her pillow, waiting for anything to happen. Another flash of lightning spiked outside her window. She winced, getting up to draw her curtains. As she pulled them closed, she noticed a figure approaching outside. A spike of fear shot up within her, before another strike illuminated his face. Kamukura slid open the window, climbing in. A wild wind blew in with him, the flailing curtains knocking her back.

“Ah… Ugh… Why are you here?” She pressed her palm to her aching forehead. “And why couldn’t you just use the door?”

“Opening your door would expose you to the hallway light. I’m here to continue our earlier discussion.” He lifted her back onto her bed.

“Well, you’re soaked. And now I am too…” She mumbled.

“I’ll get you a towel.” He stepped into her bathroom, returning with a small green towel adorned with the Hope’s Peak logo. He handed it to her.

“You didn’t get one for yourself?” She tilted her head.

“No.” He continued to stand, drops of water falling from his hair. “I have no need as I’ll just get wet again when I leave.”

“Well, if you’re gonna stay for a bit, then you should dry off, y’know?” She set the towel down beside her. “I… Just, what are you going to say?”

“Sometimes, doing what is necessary will have consequences. In this case, you are upset because you believed there was a non-violent solution.” He looked out to the rain. “I assure you there wasn’t.” Thunder rolled across the clouds.

“No, that’s not… That’s wrong. I’m not that stupid, I knew there… That she was going to kill me if you didn’t.” Chiaki mumbled. “That’s not why… I just… I feel bad… I mean, like… For someone to turn out that bad, something… People aren’t just that bad…”

“Enoshima was. From her birth, she was that terrible. Every step of her life was on a path to paint the world in despair. There is nothing in her to be sympathetic towards.” He continued to stare out the window.

“I know that. But maybe… I don’t know, there would be a person out there that could change her mind…” She sighed. “Like me to you.”

“My mind is split across thousands of talents. That functionally makes me a thousandth the analyst she was. It is the same principle that allows you to match me in gaming skill.” He paused. “She could understand you more than I could. As well as having no emotional connection to drive her.”

“I… I know but… There had to be someone… Someone she cared about…”

“I believe she genuinely cared for her sister. You surely remember how that ended.” He took a moment. “You don’t need to carry her sins on your back, metaphorically.”

“That’s not… Just… Look at me… Please…” She begged. 

He turned to her, a puzzled look on his face. “I’m sorry, I was distracted.”

“Huh? Is… Someone out there?”

“No.” He shook his head.

“Then… What…?” She shut her eyes as another fork of lightning struck the ground.

“The rain.” Her curtains continued to wildly thrash about, slightly obscuring his face.

“You… Is something wrong? I wouldn’t expect-”

“I am fine.” He interrupted. “I have a fondness for rain.”

“You do?” She gave him a puzzled look. “Sorry, I guess I just… Well, I never thought you cared about anything like that… Or anything at all.”

“Perhaps Hinata did too. More likely, though…” Kamukura closed his eyes. “It was raining when we first met. Or, I met you. Perhaps my subconscious has made a tie between those two disconnected things.” He frowned, looking at her. “Although I understand that drawing a connection to that day is tactless.”

“Huh? Oh, that’s… Yeah… I don’t mind, trust me.” Chiaki nodded. “I mean, I don’t blame the rain for what happened, y’know? I-I’m still alive, and that’s enough to be grateful for… I’m not going to let stuff like this get me down… I’d never have gotten to feel the rain again, or hear thunder, or see lightning. Everything just feels surreal.” She grabbed her cane and got to her feet, stepping in front of the open window. Rain pelted down against her. “It’s like when you’re down to one hit in a game, so every easy enemy feels important. I guess…”

“I see. You now appreciate your life after multiple brushes with death.” He sighed, looking out the window with her.

“Well, that makes it sound like I didn’t like it before all this… But yeah, I get what you mean.” Chiaki wiped a raindrop from her eye. She realized it wasn’t a raindrop when it kept coming back. “Just being alive… Right now… Right here… It’s enough. Thank you… Kamukura-kun…”

“Er… Why the honorific. You’ve never used them with me before.” He pushed some of his hair out of the way so she could get a better view.

“Oh, well… You used one with me when…” She paused to find a good way to phrase it. “When you saved me…”

“I don’t recall.” He shook his head. “I don’t remember saying anything when I shot her.”

“W-Well you did… I think… Maybe it just slipped your mind.” She said, knowing it wasn’t that.

“Perhaps.” He solemnly agreed. She was surprised that he didn’t bring up his talent. “I do believe that it is unlikely, but it is possible it slipped out without me realizing.” He once again paused, longer than she’d ever seen. “Would you like me to use them with you?”

“Huh? O-Okay…” She nodded. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

“Alright. Nanami-san.” He said, uniformly. Chiaki never thought that something she’d heard thousands of times before could feel so foreign. It was the same voice, speaking in the same tone as she remembered, but it felt as though she was hearing it for the first time. As if she beat a level she’d been stuck on. It felt right.

She couldn’t help but stifle a laugh. “Thank you… Kamukura-kun… For everything.”

“You’re welcome, Nanami-san.” He looked down at her for a moment, quickly looking back out. If she didn’t know better, she’d say it amused him. “Since your concussion, you can’t play any games. I assume you’d like me to stay with you?”

“Yeah… Yeah I’d like that… A lot…” She smiled. “Let’s just stay here for a while… Right here…”

The rain incessantly poured down on his face. “I’d like that too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooray! Got another chapter out before the new year. Speaking of which, Happy New Year to everyone reading this in the future! I hope all you future people are doing well.


	18. Halloween

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 2021 and beyond! Thanks to everyone for sticking with the story this long!

**Chiaki Nanami**

The days passed slowly. Chiaki was bored for sure, but that seemed insignificant now. The first day after Enoshima’s death, she woke up to an envelope under her door. Her room was dark, but not enough that she couldn’t read it.

The outside was colorful, with the phrase ‘Get Well Soon!’ on the front. Inside was a collection of signatures and a message. Sorry for ignoring you. I hope you’re okay. She clutched it to her chest, smiling. The security had told her they were all okay, but it felt good to finally have proof.

Her doctor had come in for a check up each day, making sure she was following his orders. He apologized when she asked to see everyone, stating that it would only worsen her concussion. After he left, she sighed and collapsed back into her bed.

It wasn’t until three days had passed that he finally said her concussion cleared up. The first thing she did after he’d left was boot up several consoles. It was more games than she could handle at once, but it felt right nonetheless. It wasn’t long until she heard game over jingles from a few, but that just served to narrow her focus on the others.

A knock at her door snapped her from her game-induced trance. She got up and opened it to reveal the Ultimate Chef, grinning. “Ah, Nanami-san! It’s been a while, hasn’t it!”

“Oh, yeah, I guess it has. I’m glad to see you!” She smiled. “I saw your signature on your card, but it’d still been a while. I was starting to forget your face.”

“Sheesh, was I that unremarkable? Perhaps there’s another way I could make an impression?” His nose began to bleed.

“Oh, I know, you could make us something to eat.” She figured it probably wasn’t going to top the few times Kamukura-kun had cooked for her, but still felt the gesture was nice. “Wait… You were thinking something weird, weren’t you?”

“Guilty as charged. But I assure you, my tastes are much more refined than the Teruteru you knew.” He winked. “Still, It’d be an honor to serve my former Class Rep.”

“Former? So I guess that means you’re not staying?” She pouted.

“Well, I was planning on telling you all when we eat lunch. That’s why I’m the one here to get you.” The Chef grabbed her hand. “Come along now, there’s much to discuss.”

“Okay… I guess.” She followed along, a smile on her face. Her class was waiting in the dining hall with eager expressions. “Hey everyone.”

“Yahoo! Chiaki-chan’s finally here!” The Musician shouted.

The click of a camera sounded. “Oh, hey Koizumi-san- Huh?”

“Don’t make a big deal outta this, okay?” The Yakuza blushed. “It just makes her happy, is all.” He rolled his eyes. The Photographer behind him nodded.

“Hey, uh, listen… Sorry about ignoring you and everything…” Mitarai-kun sighed, scratching the back of his head. She could see some of his teeth were missing. “I mean what I said on that card.”

“I’m not mad… You just wanted to help your friend… I get it…” She gave an awkward thumbs-up.

“Y-Yeah okay, just… Ugh… I’m sorry…” He bit his lip and sat back down.

Chiaki was about to say something else when she was lifted off her feet. She felt herself placed down on someone's shoulders. “C’mon! C’mon! I’m dying for Hanamura-kun’s food already! I’m going through withdrawal or somethin’!”

“Okay, okay… Let’s eat…” She didn’t even realize how hungry she was until it was mentioned. In no small part because she had only eaten bland hospital food for the last three days. Owari-san set her down and the Cook began slinging dishes out.

She had to admit, there was a certain flavour to the cooking that even Kamukura-kun couldn’t beat. Be it the fact that the dishes were designed with care, or the love of his talent itself. The food was delicious, and even the more rowdy of her classmates were silent while eating. Until the Chef tapped a fork against his glass.

“Now I must admit, I’ve truly missed this, but I’ll be returning home on monday.” He smiled. “If anyone wants to give me a parting gift, I’ll be happy to indulge!”

“Quit making perverted jokes, just let us eat in peace!” The Dancer shouted.

“Huh? I wasn’t making a perverted joke this time, I swear! Trust me!” He whimpered. “Seriously, I’m saving myself for someone back home anyway!”

“Don’t tell me, you got a girlfriend!?” The Mechanic shouted. “Who would even fall for someone like… Like you!?” He pouted, jealously.

“W-Well not a girlfriend, per se… Just a regular customer who’s taken a fancy for my meat, if you know what I mean…”

“Quit it with the innuendos already…” Koizumi-san groaned.

“I ain’t ne’er said no innuendo! Ha!” Hanamura-kun shouted. He took a second to compose himself. “Trust me, they just like my cooking is all! Ahem, speaking of… I must apologize for missing your birthday, Sonia-san. Is there any way I could make it up to you?”

“Oh! Oh! I know! We could celebrate this Hallow’s Eve tomorrow together!” She grinned. “Back in my country, it is exclusive to the elderly, so it is a joy to partake in such a forbidden activity!”

“S-Seriously!? Out of everything, you want to celebrate that shitty excuse for a holiday? No way, I refuse!” He crossed his arms.

“Wait, yeah… That sounds like a great idea!” Chiaki smiled. “We could have a big halloween party like last year! Do you think that’ll make up for me forgetting your birthday?”

“Oh, yes! I do believe that will suffice! And we could all dress up in costumes! This all sounds radical!” The Princess smiled.

“Fuhahaha! The day of darkness approached faster than the dark eye predicted! This so-called holiday is one worth celebrating indeed!” The Breeder cackled.

“I don’t really get all that but if it means more food, I’m down.” Owari-san said, scarfing down another dish.

“I agree!” Nidai-kun bellowed. “Every team deserves a break after a long season of playing! So! As your Team Manager, I wholeheartedly support this decision!”

“Woohoo! Ibuki could totally go as frankenstein!” Mioda-san pointed at the stitches across her face. “It’d fit perfectly, dontcha think?”

“Yo, Hanamura-kun… Think about it, this is your chance!” Soda-kun grinned. “You know how lewd these costumes would all be!?”

“Uh… Well… Hm…” The Chef stuttered. “I’m saving myself for Kaoru back home y’see… And well… I guess it wouldn’t hurt to have a little fun while I’m here…” He gave a suspicious grin. “Alright, I’m in. But I’m not making any junk food for any of you!”

A chorus of cheers rang out. Chiaki smiled and finished eating. This is what she fought for. For everyone to be so happy. She needed to get to work.

**Juzo Sakakura**

“Oi! Didya hear!? Little ol’ Nanami-san is throwing a big Halloween party tomorrow!” Yukizome-san cheered. “Aw man, I can’t believe I’ve missed both their Halloween’s at Hope’s Peak now… Unless you’ll let me go, that is!”

“You’re not going.” He said, sympathetically. It was partially his fault she’d missed their first, and if he’d only not been a coward that day, she’d be perfectly fine now.

“Wahhh, you’re so mean!” She faked a few tears. “C’mon, it’ll be like a surprise visit! I won’t hurt anyone, promise.”

“You can’t, okay? I get it, I do… If I’d dared to not come to one of your parties, you’d have killed me…” He sighed. “But we both know why you aren’t going to go. That’s the end of this discussion.”

“Ugh, fine… You’re no fun.” She flicked his ear. “Go do your boring work or whatever… Not my problem. And maybe I’ll stop cleaning your place… I wonder how you’d like that, huh?”

“Go ahead. My bet is you wouldn’t last a day in here without flaunting your talent.” He rolled his eyes, focusing on the screen ahead of him.

It didn’t take long for news of Enoshima’s death to be leaked, which caused an uproar. Just as her fanbase began to calm down, the news was released and started a whole new wave. What didn’t help was the world finding out about Maizono’s passing as well.

That morning alone, three mass brawls between both their supporters broke out across the country. As well as many assaults and a few murders. Most recently at the funeral for the Idol, one of her bandmates was shot. As far as Juzo knew, she was going to recover, but the thought still disgusted him.

Although he had checked several times over the past few days, nothing was mentioned about Ikusaba, other than the odd conspiracy theory. A few of which he’d checked out, but none had any ground. To be so ignored and forgotten in death, the thought terrified him. Not that he held much sympathy for the sister. 

“Oh me, oh my! That bitch is totally getting ignored!” Yukizome-san laughed, still looking over his shoulder. “Guess that’s what not being famous gets you!”

“You’re not going to stop, are you?” He grit his teeth, turning to her.

“Nope! I mean, I just wanted to help my friend work. Seeing as I’m now down to one!” She laughed.

“Shut up. Stop.” He clenched his fist. “Knock it off.”

“Oh~ Poor Munakata-san… He was so young and full of life. I so totally regret getting him killed. Maybe.” She continued. “I mean, if the choice was between him and Chiaki-chan… I dunno who I’d choose! I’d probably freeze up and let them both die.” The Housekeeper pouted. “Well, good thing you were able to act fast and sacrifice him! For a girl you’d never met, no less. You sure you really had a crush on him?”

“Yes! Wait, shit… Fucking shut up…” He bit his tongue. “Why do you just want to relentlessly fuck with me… Aren’t there more ‘despairing’ things you could be doing now anyway?”

“I dunno, but this feels real good, so I’ll keep doing it.” She grinned.

“Seriously? Like, there’s nothing better for you to do right now?” He spun around to face her.

“Oh, I know! I could go see my precious lil’ class rep! She totally already knows I’m staying here after all!”

“That’s not gonna happen.” He crossed his arms. “Wait, the hell do you mean she knows you’re here?”

“Oops, didn’t mean to say that!” She giggled. “Let’s change the subject. Hmm… You watch any good shows recently?”

“No, we’re not done with you.” He stood up. “You sold her out to Enoshima, didn’t you? Why the fuck would you-”

“Now you know what they say about assuming! I’d never sell Nanami-san out to that bitch!” Yukizome-san climbed onto a table so she was higher than him. “I sold her out to Kamukura instead!”

“The hell? Wait, what the fuck are you saying?” He grabbed her off of his table. “Kamukura is, uh… They’re on good terms, I know that. So how could you sell her out to him?”

She replied by sticking out her tongue. “Now don’t go asking me, that’s something you oughta ask her about!”

“Just fucking tell me!” He shouted.

“Okay, well, the only good show I’ve watched is your old wrestling tapes. Since you don’t have cable, and all.”

“You… What? Oh… Shut the hell up…” He pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Oh, by far my favourite was the one for your exam! That guy was three weight classes above you. Like, he was Heavyweight and you’re, like, Middleweight at best.” She giggled.

“Super Middleweight, thanks. Why are you even… Bringing this up?” He felt his fist shaking.

“The best part of that was when I ran up and hugged you. That was fun!” She smiled. “And then Munakata-kun came up and shook your hand. You seemed so happy, in retrospect, that makes total sense.”

“Why… Why? God dammit why!?” He swung his fist, bringing it back into his own jaw. “Agh, fuck…”

“Woah, you’re still upset about him? It’s been a month already, you should get over yourself.” She continued grinning.

Juzo glared into her eyes. They weren’t her usual despairing swirls. Instead, they were shaky, terrified and sad. “You…” He bit his lip, contemplating what to say. “You remember when… When he tried to recruit us… Into the student council…?”

“Hm, yep I think!” She nodded.

“Heh… Yeah… That couldn’t have gone worse. When you and I got there, we basically tore it apart… It took ‘em a few years to get it up and running again, right?”

She laughed. Not a despair fueled one, but a normal, Chisa Yukizome one. “They never even bothered to fix the computer lab, did they?”

“Munakata-kun… He said he was pissed, but… Something tells me he enjoyed finally having an actual problem to solve. I mean, he’s always wanted to change the world.”

“That’s Kyosuke-chan for you… I mean, that’s not really changing the world, but it’s not my place to say.” She gave a bitter smile. “What was it he said? As long as the three of us were together, it wasn’t a dream? Hm, I wonder…”

“Bastard… I… I mean, who’s to say he isn’t still with us? We’ll always have him… Our memories of him, right? And he’ll always be in our hearts…” Juzo rubbed a tear out of his eye. “So that’s why I’ll make sure you get better… For him… It’s what he wanted.”

“Psh, like that’ll happen…” She rolled her eyes.

He took a few moments to collect himself. “God, I need a drink… Say, have you ever been drunk? Or, even had anything to drink, ever?”

“I’m almost offended. You think I’m some alcoholic like Kizakura? I’m a dignified teacher, who actually cares about my students… Of course not!”

“Well, you want one? Who knows, it might end up curing your despair or whatever. And it’s not like you’re their teacher right now.” He wandered over to his fridge, pulling out an untouched case of Akiaji.

“It’s one in the afternoon, isn’t that a little early? Plus you’re supposed to be working right now, aren’t you?” She tilted her head.

“I’ve done so much for this school… And what have I gotten in return? Shitty pay, one best friend dead, and the other brainwashed. If anything fucking happens again, I know I’ll just end up too late to actually fucking do something, so fuck it.” He sighed. “I’m gonna be drinking either way. If you want, you can join, but I won’t force it on you.”

“Alright, you’ve convinced me. Pass one over.” Yukizome-san rubbed her forehead. “You might even be right about the despair thing…” She gave a pause before tacking on: “As if…!”

**Ryota Mitarai**

After the events of the past week, focusing on the Neo World Program wasn’t high on his priorities. The day was frantic, as everyone was preparing for the party. Ryota stayed in his room, not wanting to get in the way. Nanami-san would probably be upset if he didn’t wear any costume, but he could just ask the Imposter for something.

He took a deep sigh as he entered the library, hoping somebody had gotten some work done. As it turned out, he was the first one there. That was probably not a good sign. “Dammit…” He cursed, resting his head on the desk. The sound of a door opening caught his attention. He looked to the front door, which was still shut. His eyes snapped to the archives. The door was wide open. “H-Hello…? Is someone there?”

A figure stepped out, darkened by the lack of light. Their red eyes and silhouette was enough to send Ryota into a panic. “Hello, Mitarai.”

“Ah, y-you’re…” He stumbled back. “Did you… Did you hurt them? Is that why they’re not here!?”

“Calm down. Your associates are fine.” The long haired man shut the door behind him. “I set each clock you were likely to encounter on your path from your room to here fifteen minutes early. I needed you alone.”

He threw his arms up. “Ah, ah…! You needed me alone…? Are you going to kill me!?”

“No. I have another reason.” The man took a seat. “I am here to aid you.”

“H-Huh? Wait, but you’re… Oh…” He grabbed his chin, like the smart character does when they come to a realization in an anime. “Enoshima, she… You were Nanami-san’s friend before… And then you were brainwashed.”

“For your purposes, yes.” He gave an emotionless nod.

“Okay… But wait, that… Why are you here?” He looked into the taller man’s eyes. “This is a trap! You just wanna sabotage us so we can’t help you.”

His expression shifted from neutral to a frown. “You’ve reminded me how boring most people are. I’m not here to hurt you, I am not here to sabotage you. Petty reasons like those are boring.”

“Huh? What? No wait, I’m not buying it! You’re just here to trick me.” He clenched his fist.

“With my help, all functions of your project will be done within the week. It is against your own wishes to turn down that offer.”

“Well, yeah, obviously I’d love to get it done in a week… But, but I can’t trust you!” He shouted.

The man, Kamukura, shut his eyes. “You can trust me. You have the impression you cannot, due to my association with Enoshima. Therefore, the best course of action is informing you that I am the one who killed her.”

“You did? Wait, no… The investigators said it was Nanami-san…” He shook his head.

“Nanami-san wouldn’t have killed Enoshima, even if she was about to die herself. That’s why I had to do it instead.” He opened his eyes, returning to his relaxed expression.

“You really… You mean that.” Ryota crossed his arms. “You want to… Help…” He accepted.

“Correct.”

“Well, I’ll have to talk to everyone when they get here… About it… You probably shouldn’t be here when they arrive.” He sighed.

“A natural assumption.” Kamukura nodded, returning to the archive room.

As if on cue, the door opened. Fujisaki-san was the first to arrive, giving him a small wave before taking a seat. In time, the other three arrived. Kimura-san, then Matsuda-kun and Gekkogahara-san together.

“I saw what happened on the news… Are you okay?” The Pharmacist gave a sympathetic look from behind her mask.

“Oh, y-yeah… I’m alright.” He looked down to his thigh, lucky it healed well.

“Before we get started, I just wanna say sorry!” Usami gave a timid look. “I’ve been busy, talking to the students affected by the…” She looked to the Programmer. “The events… I haven’t gotten any work done.”

“That’s fine… It’s not a bad thing, y’know.” Ryota sighed. “I haven’t really thought about it that much.”

“Were you busy being all chummy with a murderer?” The Neurologist tilted his head.

Everyone seemed taken aback. Mutsuda-kun had rarely, if ever talked unprovoked. “Huh? Sorry, I don’t know what you mean.” He mumbled.

“You don’t? Do you need me to spell it out for you?” He replied in a passive-aggressive tone.

“What… Who are you talking about?” Fujisaki-san mumbled.

“The Gamer, Nanami… Whatever.” He crossed his arms.

“Hey! Don’t say things like that!” Gekkogahara-san tapped away at her keyboard. “She’s not a murderer, she did nothing wrong!”

“She mutilated Enoshima. They found her head was crushed to a pulp, occurring after the fatal gunshot. If that isn’t a sign of a deranged psychopath, what is?”

“That’s not how it happened! I’m sure of it!” Ryota shouted. “I-If you want to talk about derangement, Enoshima is where you should be looking!”

“You didn’t know her like I did.” Matsuda-kun glared.

“I didn’t? She… She locked me in a basement for… I don’t even know how long!” He had to stand up for himself. “And, and… She almost tortured my classmate… My friend… To death…” He stumbled on his own words.

“You don’t get to say that about her. She wasn’t always like that. And she could’ve gotten better.”

“Would she have gotten better before or after she tortured that girl?” Kimura-san asked.

“You know, helping her was the only reason I agreed to join this project. If you’re so smart, tell me. What happens to this project if I stop helping? Without my talent, it dies here and now.”

“You know, that’s actually what I wanted to talk about.” He took a deep breath. “I know Kizakura-sensei wanted it to just be us, but someone else wants to help… And they’ll really speed things up.”

“W-Well, if it means Kuwata-kun gets better soon, I’m okay with it.” Fujisaki-san smiled.

“Before you agree, at least find out who it is, idiot.” Matsuda-kun snapped.

“Oh, s-sorry…” Tears welled in the Programmer’s eyes.

“Well, that’s the hard part… It’s-” He was cut off by the sound of the archive opening.

Everyone tensed up, looking over Ryota’s shoulder. “Wahhh!” The rabbit squealed.

“Ah, get back!” The Pharmacist pushed past him, to protect from an incoming attack.

An attack that never came. Instead, Kamukura’s cold voice caused him to finally turn around. “I am not here to harm any of you.”

Gekkogahara-san wheeled up next to him. “So you want to help, then?”

“Correct.” He nodded. Regret began to course through the ashen blonde, this was a terrible idea. Why would any of them agree to work with him?

“Well any help is appreciated. What do you wanna do?” She tilted her head.

Matsuda-kun spoke before Kamukura could respond. “You do know who this is, right? Or is your brain also the size of a rabbit’s?”

“I do know who he is! I feel like we can trust him, at least. It is sorta my job.” She smiled.

Kamukura shook his head. “Matsuda. Your assertion that Nanami-san killed Enoshima is wrong. I pulled the trigger.”

He raised an eyebrow. “So you think that would placate me? Did I screw up when I put the Ultimate Analyst in there, or did I erase basic intelligence by accident?”

“Neither.” He shook his head again. “Although you did fail to fully erase Hinata. That’s why I’m here.”

“Impossible. That reserve was a sacrifice. By saying that, you’re denying your own existence.” He grew surprisingly defensive.

“Since there is still a remnant of him, buried under my talent, I am here.” He continued, ignoring him. “Reversing what you’ve done to him, he can be brought back. Specifically, through the Neo World Program.”

“As I said, it’s impossible. To do that would end with destroying yourself. Suicide.” The Neurologist glared into red eyes. “Hinata no longer exists.”

“Something that has been born, acknowledged, and lived life can't be denied its existence.” He refuted. “You stole that from him, and therefore he deserves it back.”

“Can you really say he was acknowledged? Sure he was born and lived. But he had no friends, no family, nothing. His own parents signed him over to the school. Can you really call that anything more than tolerance, let alone acknowledgment?”

“Wait, y-you’re wrong…” Ryota spoke up, interrupting the argument. “I mean, he still had someone… Nanami-san… She was his friend. Even now, she… She still misses him. And that’s your fault.”

“Correct. Matsuda, your logic is faulty, he existed, and that can’t be denied.” Kamukura backed him up.

“Alright, you know what? If you care so much, figure it out without me.” Matsuda-kun threw his arms up in a mock surrender. He quickly stormed out of the library, not saying another word.

Not sparing a beat, the Ultimate Hope turned his attention to the others. “How boring. Even without any of you, the time will be drastically shorter. Leave if you want.”

“Well, it’s my job to help others. So I’m going to help, no matter what.” Usami bounced.

“Yeah, what she said. Yukizome-senpai helped me out after I was expelled, so I have to repay the debt.” Kimura-san’s cheeks went up, indicating she was smiling.

“I have to help out… It’s what Maizono-san would have wanted, I know it!” The Programmer gave a determined look.

“Well, I’m in charge here, so I need to stay.” He stuck out his hand for a handshake.

Kamukura didn’t react. “This bores me. I will finish the neurology, then will come visit you, Fujisaki. Kimura, your drug will be finished by the end of the week. Goodbye.” He blinked slowly, before leaving.

“That… That’s… I guess that’s it for today… I’ll see you next week, I guess…” Ryota mumbled, a somewhat reinvigorated resolve.

**Leon Kuwata**

Hunger tore through his mind. Had they forgotten about feeding him? That’d be despairing. Leon struggled again against his ropes. Since the Nurse cut off her own foot, they wouldn’t trust an ankle monitor. On the floor in his room, he sighed.

“Hey! Kuwata-kun! Over here!” A shout came. Was someone in his room? He didn’t hear the door open. “C’mon, look at me!” Something was standing outside his window. He leaned forward to get a better view, only for them to disappear. Not like they ran away, they just vanished.

“Hey, quit ignoring me!” The voice said. Leon slammed his head against the wall. He was probably just hearing things. As a bonus, it really hurt. It drew forth a laugh, which came out as a wheeze.

Once he blinked, the person appeared again. This time inside his room. An all too familiar face. Something was clearly wrong. She was dead, shot by Ikusaba.

“Well if I’m dead, how am I here right now?” The Idol giggled. “Kidding, yeah I’m dead! My question for you is: Am I a ghost or a hallucination?”

“Ghost?” What? He shouldn’t have been able to say anything. “Or a hallucination? I don’t know…” His voice was as he remembered, but something wasn’t right.

“Wow, you got the right answer! It was a trick question, I don’t know either. But I guess since you’re able to talk, it’s the latter. Ooh, it might be a dream! Lemme pinch you!”

“How would that work? Ghost or hallucination or dream, you wouldn’t be able to pinch me.” He rolled his eyes. There was definitely no tongue in his mouth. Why could he still talk? Not knowing the answer shot him with another hit of despair.

“Aw, what’s with that look in your eyes? I thought you missed me… You should be happy.” She frowned.

“Ha… Haha! You think I missed you? Are you that stupid!? You fuck-up! You’re the reason I’m like this!” He couldn’t contain it anymore. “You and your fucking boyfriend! That lucky fucker threw me under the bus for a chick he barely knew. And you! If you weren’t such a dumb shit, you’d have lived and I’d be fine right now! This is all your fault! You feelin’ the despair yet!?”

“Not really… You’re just upset.” She held her arms behind her back. “You’ll get better, I know it! Right now you’re in bummerland, but soon you’ll be the good old Kuwata-kun!”

“Well, there ain’t no funnerland! That’s just how it is. Now I’m really starving, so if you min-” His voice cut out, left with a few unintelligible sounds. At the same time, she disappeared.

There were a few knocks at his door, before it opened. “Hey man.” Owada-kun rounded the corner, holding something in his uninjured hand. “I, uh, got you some applesauce… I figured you prolly still need to eat…”

Leon pursed his lips and nodded. As much as the hunger pain caused him despair, he probably didn’t wanna die yet. He tried to speak a few words, but only managed a few noises. In the end, he sighed.

“I asked the guards outside and they said that I wasn’t allowed to untie you, so I guess I gotta fuckin’ feed it to you.” He shook his head, setting the container down and pulling out a spoon. “You kinda gotta open your mouth.”

He reluctantly did, wincing as the spoon brushed against his lip. It was humiliating to say the least, which just led to more despair. As soon as it passed his teeth, Leon bit down. After some trouble swallowing, he released it. They continued until they ran out. It still left him hungry, but not on the verge of starvation. A perfect mix.

“Okay, you good?” Owada-kun exhaled. “I also got told to take care of Tsumiki, fuckin’ hell.” He got up, cleaning up the small amount on the floor. “See ya tomorrow, I guess.” The Biker gave a final wave before leaving the room.

Leon couldn’t help but let out another excuse for a laugh. His own friend wasn’t even willingly helping him. He was only here because he was told to. That was too great. The Baseballer struggled once again against his restraints. They didn’t budge. He was gonna be stuck here a while, for sure.

**Chiaki Nanami**

Chiaki awoke with a start. Her body was shaking, and a layer of sweat coated her. She was beginning to think if the nightmares were still going a month later, they probably weren’t stopping very soon. She tried to sit up, just to find everything sore. Whether it was from the reminder of that day in the maze or her back-breaking work for the party, she couldn’t tell. Probably a mix of both.

Eventually, she forced herself up, out of bed. The pain was quickly brushed aside by her own excitement. Even her normal morning urge to immediately play a game was lessened. This was finally her chance to make things up to everyone. They’ve all gone through so much for her. _Because_ of her. She needed to make sure could finally spend some time away from it all. 

With that in mind, she got ready and grabbed her costume. It was a simple Pikachu onesie she’d had since before she came to the academy. It still fit, which was the first thing she’d checked. Next, she made sure that none of her scars were showing. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to look at her and be reminded of it all. The cut under her eye was in an inconvenient spot, there wasn’t a good way to hide it. She still had the bandage around her neck and had to walk with a cane. If she showed up limping, it would probably worry them more. 

It probably didn’t matter though. Every time they’d talked to her while she prepared, they had that sympathetic tone. There wasn’t anything wrong with it, but they weren’t going to look at her the same again. Today had to be perfect, it would be the only way they would forgive her. Forgive was probably the wrong word, but she still needed to prove herself to them. All those thoughts rolled through her mind as she grabbed her cane and left her room.

It was definitely earlier than she was used to. If there was one silver lining to the nightmares, they were a lot better than alarm clocks. The sun was just coming up, which hopefully gave her enough time to prepare before anyone got up.

She let out a sigh of relief. Nobody else was awake. The Dining Hall was empty, other than the decorations coating the room. She did one last round, making sure everything was still in place. Orange and black decorations covered the room, setting a mood. Aside from those, Chiaki had set up as many props as she could find. Some generic stuff like skeletons climbing out from the ground and bats hanging from the ceiling, as well as a fair share of fake cobwebs strung about. She hadn’t hesitated to add some more unique things. Majora’s Mask was strapped to one of the skeleton’s faces. But her favourite part were the Hell Valley Sky Trees, looming above it all.

When she first started planning, she wanted to take everyone out to an old abandoned castle. Maybe they could have fought dracula, though she wasn’t a Belmont so she probably wouldn’t be too big a help. Those plans were quickly dismissed when she thought about it. Going out of the school wasn’t the best idea. She’d heard about Enoshima’s fans uproaring when they found out about her death. Even then, her words had been spinning around her head. It was true, all it took was one angry fan to see Chiaki and then…

After that, a sense of fear filled her. It hurt to have to change such an awesome plan because she was too scared, especially because of everyone else. Sonia-san would’ve loved to explore a Japanese castle. Owari-san would end up climbing around on the outside. Tanaka-kun challenging the vampire lord to a duel would have been right out of a game. But even then, her mind would freeze at the thought.

“WOAH!” A shout broke through her mental pause. “This is totally bone-chilling!”

Chiaki had made sure nobody came into the Dining Hall at all the day before. This needed to be a surprise for everyone. After one final deep breath, she steeled herself and turned to the newcomer. “Ah, hello Mioda-san.” She smiled.

The Musician was dressed in a bridal gown, her hair done in a way that it stood on end. The stitches across her face suited her outfit well. “Gasp! Chiaki-chan’s outdone herself!” She followed her eyes. “Ooh, does she like what she sees!? Oh, but her costume is super cute too!”

She ran up to her, pulling her into a strong hug. “Woah… Oh!” It hurt a little, but still felt good.

“Ah, ah! And she’s super soft too!” It took Chiaki a moment to realise that she was rubbing her back. “Super duper soft!” Maybe she could use this to get _it_ from Nidai-kun, she was definitely sore enough.

“Okay… That’s a little too tight…” She mumbled. Mioda-san swiftly let go, twiddling her fingers. “Thanks… Your costume’s cool too.”

“Wahoo! A compliment! I could write a song about this! ‘My Super Soft Friend Called Me Cool!’” She gave a toothy grin.

Chiaki let out a soft laugh. “I’d like to hear it some time.”

“Halt! Justice is here!” A voice drifted with regality through the hall. “It is I, Sparkling Justice!”

“Ah, Sonia-san, you made it. That’s a cool mask.” She smiled. The Princess was wearing a mask sporting an anime design.

“En garde! I am no longer this Novoselician you speak of! I am the ally of justice whose name makes mankind shudder. I, Sparkling Justice, shall bring justice!” She touched her hand to the mask and began spouting another catchphrase. “¡Justicia completa! ¡El centro de justicia que es atravesado por la justicia! ¡La principal estrella justiciera que brilla en el cielo nocturno! Ese sería yo... ¡Sparkling Justice!”

“Huh!? Do Ibuki’s ears deceive her, or was that the language of romance!?” Mioda-san clapped her hands to her cheeks. “And thus, she swoons!” She collapsed into a chair. “Wait wait wait! She needs to tell you something. Sparkling Justice-chan’s gotta feel Chiaki-chan!”

“Oh! She is ‘totes adorbs’… Ahem, I mean, Sparkling Justice deems this an acceptable use of their time!” She scrambled up to Chiaki, grabbing her arm. “Hm, yes! This is a texture most worthy of the protection of justice.”

“Thank you Son- Uh, Sparkling Justice.” She corrected herself.

“Hmph, it appears I am early. According to the mere fabric you mortals call time, that is!” With the tone, she knew exactly who it was.

“Ah, Tanaka-kun… Oh, you’re not wearing a costume…” Chiaki only let her disappointment show for a moment before smiling again. “Well, it’s like you wear a costume everyday, so it’s okay.”

“The supreme overlord who wields the Four Dark Devas of Destruction would never stoop so low as to partake in infantile costume play!” He laughed boisterously. “But since the Dark Deva’s form is only temporary, they had no qualms.” The hamsters popped out of his scarf, all dressed up in small bows.

The masked Princess let out a squeal and clapped her cheeks. “That is so ‘kawaii’! Justice approved!”

“Your triflings amuse them. A killer of killers is a perfect subordinate when they rise to power! They will allow you to live, for now.” He bemused. “As for you. I shall excuse your intolerance. Since you have only recently come to be a demon, you likely don’t understand the weight of your outfit!”

“Hm? But I’m Chiaki Nanami… Right now I’m a Pikachu.” She tilted her head.

“You fiend, perhaps I underestimated you. For a low level demon to have made a pact beyond my knowledge. I shall grace you with one of my few requests.” He smirked. “Inform me of your tribe, or I will smite you where you stand.”

“Huh? Oh, it’s from Pokemon…” She paused. “Wait, Tanaka-kun, you know what Pokemon is, right?”

“Fuhahaha, the Supreme Overlord of Ice knows all! Yet this talisman has escaped me. Thus, I challenge you to a duel of wits!” He crossed his arms. “Though, it could wait until after the dark ceremony… That’s it.”

“Yeah, you’ll love it! I promise!” She smiled. “We should all have a big Pokemon tournament one day…”

“Ooh, even Ibuki can come! Chiaki-chan will probably win, but we could still have fun!” She jumped up and down.

A few voices could be heard heading down the hall. After a few suspenseful seconds, they rounded the corner. There was a lot of info to process so she took a moment to think.

Koizumi-san was the first to catch her eye. The Photographer was wearing a witch's hat and carrying a broom. Saionji-san was matching, with yellow highlights instead of red. And Soda-kun was…

“Broccoli! Seriously?!” The Musician cackled.

“Ah, come on! It’s not my fault… I was tricked! Deceived!” He shouted in reply.

“Dumbass came to me for help, what’d he expect?” The Dancer snickered.

Chiaki gave a surprised look. “If you knew you were getting tricked, why’d you still wear it?”

“W-Well, she took a picture and said she was gonna show Miss Sonia if I took it off…” He sniffled. “So I thought I might as well grin and bear it.”

Koizumi-san rolled her eyes. “I only took the picture because it was funny, and I didn’t say that. But you really deserve that anyways.” She sighed. “What kinda guy bursts into a girl’s room early in the morning because he was too lazy to make a costume?”

“This kind!?” He yelled. “Why does she even have a broccoli costume in the first place!?”

“Because I wanted to get you with it last year.” She stuck her tongue out.

By the time their argument subsided, a few more of her classmates had shown up. Owari-san was wearing a ski suit of some sort. Nidai-kun stood wearing a maid’s outfit, earning a ‘woop’ from Mioda-san. Hanamura-kun was clad in a bathing suit and wore a disappointed look.

“Ah, come on… Soda-kun, you promised me a bunch of scantily clothed babes! I see a furry, a Serial Killer, some witches and frankenstein! That leaves Pekoyama-san, I guess there’s still a chance.” He looked around the room. “Though I must say, your outfit looks rather healthy, if you know what I mean!”

“Alright, alright, enough already! I get it, I’m the broccoli guy… Get your laughs out while you can…” He paused to complete silence. “Or not, fine… What’s the story behind you three anyway? I get those two, but why are you with ‘em?”

“Hanamura-kun decided to join us on our morning exercise routine! It was a brilliant idea!” Nidai-kun shouted.

“My physique isn’t cut out for five laps around the track. Though I must say, it was some vigorous activity for the two most fit in the class!” He grinned.

“Oh, and Coach Nekomaru gave us both _it_! I’m ready to eat!” The Gymnast shouted.

“Well, I was thinking we should wait until everyone gets here. Then we could have all the power-ups.” Chiaki took a seat and set her cane across her lap.

“Alright, I’ll go get the others!” Owari-san pumped her fist.

“No need, I’m already here.” Kuzuryu-kun had wandered in, along with Pekoyama-san. He was wearing a simple pirate outfit, eyepatch and all. She had on a cape and a pair of fake fangs.

“Woah, Blackbeard and Dracula! Have you come for a duel?” The Gamer grinned.

“I’d have thought you’d go for something more ‘yakuza’. You know how they dress up their girls down there, don’t you?” The Chef groaned.

“Shut the hell up, fucker! You don’t know anything about the Kuzuryus!” He waved his prop cutlass around. “If you wanna talk underworld, you’d better be prepared. I could fit you with some concrete sneakers, or if you’re so informed, you’d know you’d lose a finger if you said that to-” He froze mid-sentence. “Shit, shit… Fuck, I wasn’t thinking… Sorry…”

The Yakuza looked to Chiaki. It took her a second to realise why. “Oh… No no, don’t worry. I wasn’t even thinking about that…” It was true, her mind hadn’t even gone to her encounter with Ikusaba. Instead she thought about Fujiwara and Takashi’s scene. “You really do that kinda stuff?”

“Well yeah, but… Listen, I’m not weak or anything but… The Kuzuryu clan will definitely be going through some changes when I’m in charge… There are better ways to keep people in check anyway.” He crossed his arms.

“To change a several century old system, you’ll face opposition.” Pekoyama-san smiled. “To know that and still press forth isn’t weakness, it’s strength.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever…” He looked like he wanted to say something. “Anyway, who are we waiting on?”

“Well, that leaves Mitarai, Komaeda, and Imposter-san… They better get here soon, I need that group photo.” Koizumi-san nodded.

“To make hope like yourself wait is shameful, I apologize…” A familiar raspy voice came from the doorway.

“Hey creep, did you forget to wear a costume?” Saionji-san taunted.

“No, no… I simply chose to wear my uniform.” He grinned. “If I decided to wear something, I might’ve chosen the same thing as someone else. If I were to end up diminishing the effectiveness of one of your costumes, I could just die.” His smile faded. “Hm, though I guess this plan backfired. I apologize deeply Tanaka-kun. Curse my luck.”

“Heh, your mortal triflings have no bearing on my hellish extravagance. Carry on with your puny life.” He dismissed, feeding a carrot to the Dark Devas.

“H-Hey everyone… I’m back…” The last pair had entered the room. “Did you miss me…?”

“Ah, yes! Ibuki missed ‘friend shaped’ Ryota-chan!” She ran up and hugged him. Chiaki couldn’t help but smile at their costumes. The Mitarai-kun she’d first met was standing in the room. And the Imposter’s face was on a very different frame.

“Ugh… How do you spend so long in these…? I can barely breathe… And it’s super sweaty…” The fake Imposter complained.

“The trick is to take slow, deep breaths. I’m not sure how to help with the sweat.” The other replied.

“Gahahaha! Imposter-kun and Mitarai-kun have switched! Brilliant!” Nidai-kun laughed.

“All the credit goes to my friend here… He was the one to think of it. We’re late because the mask took a while to perfect… Thanks for your patience.” The Imposter grinned.

“Okay, I don’t really get how you got so fat so fast, but can we eat already!?” Owari-san had begun to water at the mouth.

“Ah, yeah, I’ll get them! I’ll be back, one second.” Chiaki got up, quickly moving to the kitchen. Once inside, she paused to catch her breath. This was it, her chance. She grabbed the handle of the cart she’d prepared. It was hard to push, but she eventually rolled it out the door.

“Oh my, what is this?” The Princess’s shock was clear through the mask.

“Gah! What the hell!?” The Broccoli shouted.

Chiaki had arranged cupcakes on a pan, a pixelated effect coming through from the different colours. She’d spelled out the words ‘I’m Sorry’ across the front, focussing extra hard to make her writing legible.

“This again?” The Dancer rolled her eyes. “Listen, you didn’t do anything wrong, okay? We’re not mad at you.”

“Well, yeah I know that but… Still Mitarai-kun, Mioda-san… Everyone else… You were all hurt because someone was mad at me…” When preparing this speech, she’d made sure to omit her tormentor’s name. “I know you think you’re not upset with me… You probably aren’t… But still, I needed to make it up to you.”

Owari-san walked up and grabbed the cupcake with the apostrophe. “I don’t get it. You didn’t do nothin’ wrong, so why’re you sayin’ you did?”

“Well…” Her notes had quickly flown out of her mind. “I don’t… I don’t want you pitying me… I just want you to be happy, okay? You’ve done so much for me and… I’ve just caused you all trouble…”

Everyone stood, not saying anything. Eventually, Sonia-san slid her mask up, giving a hesitant smile. “I know that I do not pity you. I ‘look up’ to you. You have done so much for us too.”

“Yes. You were almost murdered while trying to find and protect us. All while we sat there, unable to do anything.” The Swordswoman gave an affirming smile. “This apology is unnecessary.”

“A-And last time was my fault, not yours…” Mitarai-kun sighed. “I, uh, didn’t listen to you when I should have. I was stupid.”

“Tch, I didn’t get choked by a traitorous pigshit just for you to get all depressed, so shut up already.” Saionji-san crossed her arms.

“No! Don’t blame yourself… I was the stupid one… I led you down there the first time.” She paused. “And last time wouldn’t have happened in the first place if… If I’d…” The words caught in her throat.

“Died? Ahaha!” The Lucky Student gave a sharp smile. “If you’d failed down there, it would be a much darker future in store. For one, Enoshima would be alive.”

“Quit it, weirdo. You’re making things worse.” Koizumi-san reprimanded.

“As your Manager, I assure you, your fault is much smaller than ours!” Nidai-kun clenched his fist.

“Y-Yeah, seriously…” The Mechanic crossed his arms. “Plus, like, don’t say scary stuff like that. I don’t even wanna think about you, uh, y’know…”

“Fuhahaha! Your first lesson as a demon shall be a simple one. There is no room for foolishness such as that. The thought of your death shouldn’t be of concern, seeing as you are above the rest of these mortals!”

“Ah, like Tanaka-kun said, don’t say that. Especially not in such a tone.” The Princess frowned.

Hanamura-kun, who’d been quiet up until now, spoke up. “Ah, well, I wasn’t here for a bit, so I don’t really know but… Because of you, I got to meet my Kaoru, so… I ain’t mad, y’know?”

“Guys, stop… Can you just accept this already? I need you… To just accept this…” She mumbled.

“I’m sorry, but I cannot accept your apology.” The Imposter crossed his arms. “I will not allow my Class Rep, my friend to wallow in these delusions. You are only seeking hollow gratification. You aren’t going to feel any better, trust me. It’ll make things worse over time.”

“Why… Why can’t you…” She mumbled, falling back into a chair. Wetness fell down her cheeks. There wasn’t any confusion, it wasn’t rain this time. “I screwed everything up… For all of you… You just wanted to be normal students and I… I ruined that.”

“Nanami-san…” The Princess grabbed a seat next to her. “All my life, I’ve been a political target… I have been kidnapped and taken hostage more times than I can remember.” She patted her back. “It never gets easier, knowing my life is on the line… But I can still carry on. I came here thinking I could be just a normal teenage girl, but… I soon realised I could never do that.”

“Why are you…”

“What I am saying is… Why does normal matter? Everyone is special in their own way. I know better than to be mad at you for all this. You might not think it, but you are our hero… You saved us from a boring school life. Although this might sound hollow, I will follow through.”

“I don’t get it… How can I be the hero? The hero always wins… And, and… I didn’t win… I was barely saved… I was the kidnapped princess…”

“Hm… Well, sometimes the hero needs saving too…” She shook her head. “In that game you got me, Mario was kidnapped and the princess had to save him, right?”

Chiaki stayed quiet for a moment. The image of Enoshima’s face appearing on Bowser flashed through her mind. It would probably make her next playthrough more satisfying. “I… I get what you’re saying, but… I don’t really think… It’s the same, probably…”

“That makes sense, but… I think you’re my hero at least. I know how to convince you!” She pulled her into a hug. “My first decree as queen will be instating a new holiday! Nanami-Day!”

A blush touched her cheeks. “What? What do you mean?”

“It will be a celebration of the Nevermind hero! A special day where citizens trade and play video games! It’ll be your birthday, of course!” She clapped her hands together.

“That’s not a good idea, I think. Though that does seem like a fun holiday…” She mumbled. Everyone else had since taken a seat, watching their conversation unfold. A deep sigh escaped her. “Listen, I am… Really sorry… I really screwed it all up… My stats were too low.”

“Well, Chiaki-chan… I don’t think so.” Koizumi-san shook her head. “Maybe you just levelled up the wrong ones…? Did I get that right?”

“Close enough, probably.” The Gamer gave a weak attempt at a smile. She noticed Owari-san had cleared out the cupcakes. “I have more candy in the kitchen… If anyone wants some.”

“Hey, before that… Let’s get a big group picture!” The Photographer grinned.

“Oh! Oh! Ibuki can play super spooky scary music after!” She pulled out a guitar.

“Graaahh!” Soda-kun wailed. “All your music is already terrifying!”

“I could… Find some halloween anime to put on.” The Animator suggested.

“And then after that, we could go trick or treating! Class 78 has that super loaded guy, right? He’d be the guy to give out full sized chocolate bars!” Saionji-san grew a mischievous smile.

A camera flash went off in Chiaki’s face. Everyone was happy. She got up to get the rest of the treats. In the kitchen, she let out another sigh. There was always Kamukura-kun to talk to. He’d show up eventually.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Despair Undone has now been added to the TV Tropes Fic recs page, it's surreal! Special shoutout to anyone who found the Fic from there. And extra special shoutout to Stars Are Lighted for posting it there!


	19. Help

**Izuru Kamukura**

A deep sigh escaped his mouth. He had begun to forget how boring the world truly was. Perhaps he was spending too much time with Nanami-san. His short interactions with Mitarai and Matsuda were a reality check. Nonetheless, he continued. The neurology was simple to study.

Izuru already had prior knowledge. When Hinata had been fully erased, his talent began to build up. Eventually to a point where he could effectively understand what procedures he was undergoing. Thinking of his creation left him feeling emptier than usual. 

The irony didn’t escape him. His most hated person, and their talent. Without the Ultimate Analyst, he’d have had a chance of enjoying his existence. Nanami-san was able to surpass even that.

Something he’d never considered crossed his mind. The possibility that Enoshima couldn’t analyze The Gamer. She’d explained her choice as needing Class 77 to fall into despair. Izuru had accepted that, as it was in line with her despair oriented objectives. In retrospect, there was likely more to it than that. If she truly couldn’t analyze Nanami-san, she posed a threat to the whole operation. Perhaps there was an ulterior motive to Enoshima’s actions after all.

Izuru shut the textbook he’d been reading from. His talent only applied if he had knowledge in an area. One simple read from front to back of Matsuda’s work was enough to make him the most effective Neurologist in the world. A new plan formed in his head. A final test.

Though, right now he was needed. He left his operation room, where he’d retrieved the research. The next step was to get the program itself into a functioning state. Sakakura personally saw to the sealing of the underground. But only the two entrances he knew of. Izuru took one exiting to the incinerator, climbing up a long ladder.

He silently made his way to the Programmers room. The group behind the Neo World Program were boring. He’d managed to deduce every one of their secrets in a matter of seconds. Fujisaki used his lie to hide from society. Matsuda loved Enoshima, simply because she reminded him of his dead mother. Gekkogahara hid behind an avatar and helped others for a sense of self gratification. Kimura had a need to appease others. Mitarai changed since they last met, having grown a bloated sense of self confidence.

“I am here.” He said, stepping into the Programmer’s room. As expected, a multi-monitor setup was the most prominent feature. The room also held a telescope, camera, and many pictures of space. All of which came as no surprise. But then he noticed a pair of grippers. It couldn’t have taken more than a moment to realise the reason stemmed from his desire to become strong.

“Aaah!” He wailed, spinning his chair to face him. “O-Oh, it’s you… Uh, why… Why are you here?”

“I finished the neurology, as I was supposed to. Now I am here to advance the progress of your work.” He glanced over his shoulder, reading the lines of code.

“Huh, but… It’s only been a day…” Fujisaki looked between the screen and Izuru.

“It took me longer than I was required to, as I need there to be a minimal chance of failure.” He finished examining the program. “This is unnecessarily complicated.”

“Wait, but…” The Programmer mumbled. “Um, well, I haven’t been able to focus. After everything that happened, I just… Can’t… I’m sorry…”

“As I said, your participation is no longer necessary. I am able to handle this myself.” Izuru grabbed a spare chair and sat in front of the monitor.

“W-Well, I still wanna help… Kuwata-kun… He needs help, right? And so I need to help him.” He pumped his fist.

“You do not need to help him. I am capable of doing so alone. You only feel obligated because he is your peer.” He began running his fingers across the keyboard, adding new functions as fast as physically possible.

“I know that, but, he still deserves better than…” He began tearing up. “Than that. And I’m able to help, so I will.” Izuru didn’t bother to reply, continuing to add to and remove from the program. “H-Hey, wait… I need that.”

He paused. “Why?”

“That’s Alter Ego… Uh, she’s helping with the virtual world.” He protested. “You can’t delete her.”

“You don’t need to lie. I saw through your disguise when we first met.” The long-haired man added the code back. “Why have you added blank intelligences here?”

Fujisaki seemed shaken by the revelation that Izuru knew his secret. “W-Well, uh… Right, y-you weren’t there… We’re going to use those to help. When they go in, it’ll take the memories of everyone in their class. And then it’ll upload them into the AIs.”

He did some quick calculations in his head. “That is acceptable. Although this amount is too little. Sixteen won’t be enough.”

“Well, the plan is… We don’t know exactly when Tsumiki-senpai or Kuwata-kun were… Brainwashed. And since you’re also going in, we don’t know what happened to you, or when.” He paused. “So, the plan’s to set everyone back to their first day of school. They, and the AIs will be taken to Jabberwock Island. There, they’ll spend fifty days, and then wake up. Those memories will overwrite the old ones and… It should be okay.”

“There are an indeterminable amount of flaws in that plan. Hinata was in the Reserve Course, there is no reason for him to join the Main Course for a trip. The shock of being suddenly thrust onto a tropical island will cause the humans entering confusion. Yukizome is older than Tsumiki and Hinata, who are older than Kuwata.” He stopped himself. “Need I continue?”

“No… Do you have… A better plan?” The Programmer mumbled.

“Yes. You not knowing the dates of the incidents is fine, as I know them. Therefore, separate simulations is the best option. Kuwata’s AIs can be modeled after your class. Yukizome and Tsumiki’s will both require Class 77. And Hinata’s requires a single person.” He’d thought this over many times. “Also, overwriting the memories will only lead to confusion and grief. It is more effective to allow the memories to co-exist. When they awake, they will maintain their memories from before.”

“Hinata? Oh, right… You only need one person?” He tilted his head. “Wait, if they wake up with all their memories… Won’t they still be brainwashed? And, even then, waking up with everything… It’ll just make it worse, won’t it?”

“A final test between Hope and Despair. A true way to find out. This time, on an equal ground. No cheating. No unwinnable scenario. Most importantly, though, a safe experiment.” He divulged. “Don’t bother objecting.”

“I… So this is just an experiment to you…?”

“It is an experiment, but not just that. By going through with this, I will no longer exist. For it to be an experiment that I could never see the outcome of, would be boring. There is another reason.”

“It’s… Nanami-senpai, right? You knew her… Before you became you…” He mumbled. “Wait, could that one person be…”

“Precisely.” Izuru turned his attention back to the computer. “It’s her. It’s for her.”

**Byakuya Togami**

Byakuya finished drafting a letter to Maizono. Every one felt foolish, but soothing. Some had made it to several pages long, some only a few sentences. The day Enoshima and Ikusaba died, it had felt right. He contemplated writing ones to the other two, but decided not to waste his time. He wasn’t torn up over their deaths. They had gotten what they deserved. 

A knock to his door broke him from his musings. Last time it’d happened, he ended up filing a lawsuit. Even so, the Heir opened his door. “Kirigiri, and Naegi. I presume you need me for something? Otherwise you’re wasting my time.”

“Uh, yeah, hey Togami-kun. Listen, we sorta need your help.” The Luckster frowned, still slightly pale from the poison. “It’s about your family… And Kirigiri-san’s.”

He hadn’t noticed it before, but she was wearing an even more serious expression than usual. “Why is it that you both end up crawling back to me? Although, I must say this intrigues me.”

“Good. We’re going to the headmaster’s office. Now.” She spoke in stunted sentences.

“I figured as much. Although I’d prefer to be filled in before we go.” He tilted his head.

“Well, I don’t really know anything either… Apparently we need to come to be ‘witnesses’. In case he tries anything.” Naegi shrugged. “She was gonna just take me, but I’m a nobody… If you come too, he can’t do anything. You’re basically famous.”

“Hmph, so that’s what you’re saying. I’ll join you then.” He stepped out, walking ahead of them. “Don’t slow me down.”

The Detective quickly pushed in front, leaving the limping Naegi trailing behind. They piled into the elevator, taking it to the penultimate floor. Only the Headmaster’s Office and the staff room were this high. The Luckster pulled open the door, letting them go first.

“Dad, we need to talk.” She said, not sparing a beat.

“Ah, Kyoko… Can it wait, I’m doing something important right now.” He gestured to the figure across from him.

“Tengan.” Byakuya crossed his arms. “I suggest you be the one to leave.”

“Is that any way to talk to an old geezer like me?” He wheezed.

“Actually, you should stay. This concerns you, too.” She pulled the door shut, locking it.

“Kyoko, what do you think you’re doing?” He stood from his desk. “I apologize for the interruption, Tengan-gakuenchou. I hope this won’t change your mind.”

“What did I say about calling me that? I’m no Headmaster anymore.” He laughed.

“Togami-kun, Naegi-kun. If you were to draw the line at something. Something you’d never forgive. What would it be?” She glanced between the both of them.

“H-Huh? Well, uh, I guess it’d be… What Enoshima-san did… I could never forgive her for that.” Naegi frowned.

“Unlike him, I don’t have one. If there is enough justification, anything can be acceptable.” He smirked.

“Kirigiri-san, what are you saying?” The former headmaster dropped his gentle facade for a moment. Byakuya noticed, so the Detective must have.

“I draw the line at human experimentation. I’ve learned that now.” She said through grit teeth.

Everyone froze, an indiscernible amount of time passing before anyone spoke. “Kirigiri, that’s a harsh accusation. I don’t suppose you have proof.” The Heir smirked.

Both the Kirigiri went to answer, talking over each other. He only caught the tail end of the Headmaster’s words. “-tried to stop it!”

“You admit it so easily. I never imagined a topic so interesting would end with such an anticlimax.” Byakuya shook his head. “Was I wrong to assume this was interesting?”

“It appears you asking me to investigate it was your undoing, dad.” She winced. “Hope’s Peak will finally have it’s true colours revealed, is this what you wanted? Or were you too obsessed with talent to even consider it?”

The Lucky Student hadn’t said a word. “H-Hope’s Peak… It’s all… A lie… What did you do?”

“This talk is too much for a coot like me to understand. Would you mind giving some proof?” Tengan croaked.

“Gladly.” She pulled out a paper. “The Izuru Kamukura project.”

“Kamukura? Isn’t that the guy who was working with Enoshima-san?” Naegi asked.

“Coincidentally the same as the founder. Are you that obsessed with yourself that you can’t even come up with something original?” Byakuya crossed his arms.

“The victim of your horrendous acts was Hajime Hinata, of the reserve course.” She continued. “In place of tuition, he’d participate in your experiment. Although on this pamphlet, it happens to only mention adding one talent. What aspiring Hope’s Peak alum would deny?”

“That’s… Years old… Where’d you…” He mumbled. “Kyoko… If you release this it’ll be the end of Hope’s Peak. I-I tried to stop it, I did… It’s not like you think.”

“If it means you can’t… Do this ever again, then yeah… Let’s end Hope’s Peak.” Naegi said, despondently.

“I have evidence proving that you, Tengan, The Steering Committee, Yasuka Matsuda, and the investors were involved. Investors such as the Togami Corporation” She grinned. “You could have a chance of disappearing me. But three students going missing in short succession, one being the heir to the Togami Corporation. You’d not get away with it.”

“Hmmm, perhaps.” The old man got to his feet, leaning on his cane. “But if I’d never dealt with a full investigation, I wouldn’t have made it where I am today.” He laughed. “I’m a pacifist, as much as that’ll take me.

“What are you saying?” She responded, clenching her fist.

He cracked his back with a stretch. “This school is a symbol of Hope for those around the world. If it were to fail, Despair would win. I hate having to resort to violence, but-”

“No!” A deep guttural scream pierced the room before a hail of gunshots rang out. 

A few moments passed before the smoke cleared. The former Headmaster wore a wrist strapped submachine gun, pointed to where the Detective had been standing. She had fallen to the ground.

Kirigiri was riddled with bullet holes. He stood, shielding his daughter. The Headmaster sputtered a few noises before collapsing next to her. Everyone was stunned still. After a moment, Naegi grabbed the old man, pinning him down.

A photograph lay on the ground, it’s frame shattered. Blood began to seep into it’s paper.

**Ryota Mitarai**

Kazuo Tengan was arrested for the murder of the Headmaster, a schoolwide investigation kicking off. The days after flew by, Ryota helped as much as he could with the program. He finished eating and clutched his hands to his forehead. The Imposter seemed to be the only one to notice, giving him a pat on the back, before grabbing some more food.

“Wahhhh! I can’t believe he’s actually suing me!” Saionji-san wailed, rubbing her eyes. “First he doesn’t give me any candy, and then he says I destroyed his property and attacked him. It’s no fair.”

“Did Hiyoko-chan really just ask for candy?” The Musician asked.

“I mean… Yeah, totally…” She looked around. “Okay, okay, fine… I maybe sorta egged his dorm, but how’s that worth suing!? I egged that pigshit’s room all the time and she never sued me!”

“Hm… Pretty sure that’s illegal. Ibuki’s not good at this kinda stuff though. She might be wrong.” She rubbed the back of her head. “Hey Chiaki-chan, whaddaya think?”

The Gamer looked over, bags under her eyes, still dressed in her costume. She seemed like she wanted to say something, but slowly pushed herself up. Her feet dragged as she stepped out of the Dining Hall. Her plate looked untouched.

“Guess not.” Mioda-san pouted. “Well, anyway, probably not great. But it might be, too.”

“Huh?” Ryota mumbled. “Is she okay? That didn’t look good.”

“Eh? She’s fine. Prolly a late night gaming session or something.” Owari-san shrugged.

He furrowed his brow. “You sure? She’s not even changed… That’s three days now, isn’t it?”

“That’s relatively tame. We once saw her go a month without changing. Apparently a new game came out, as I remember.” The Swordswoman suppressed a smile.

“Ew, grody.” The Dancer gagged.

“Didn’t you not shower for, like, our entire first year?” Kuzuryu-kun rolled his eyes.

“Hey, that’s different!” She pouted. “Do you want me to crush you like Mr. Ant?”

“Are you calling me fucking short!? Just cause you had your goddamn growth spurt doesn’t mean you’re able to say that!” He shouted back.

“Well, I mean, without Hanamura-kun, you’re now in last place!” She mocked.

“Keep testing me, I fucking dare you!” He slammed his hand down onto the table.

Ryota decided he’d seen enough. He got up and left, crossing his arms. Part of him wanted to go after Nanami-san, worry bubbling over. She could wait, he needed to work on the program. Once it was done, Yukizome-sensei would be back, and she’d know what to do. He lost his chance to choose as his thoughts were interrupted.

“Mitarai.” A figure seemed to appear before him.

“Huh? Oh, uh… Hi…” He mumbled.

Kamukura stood, a plastic bag in one hand and a food carrier in the other. It was strangely normal for someone so absurd. “I am here to discuss the Neo World Program.”

“Huh? Well, we usually meet on Saturdays. That’s when we were going to talk, wasn’t it?” Ryota shook his head, paranoid that anyone could stumble upon them.

“You are boring.” He sighed. “It is on track to be finished by Friday. Waiting until Saturday would be a waste of time.”

“Huh? Wait, that’s tomorrow? Fujisaki-san said it’ll take months…” He scratched the back of his head.

“That was when-” Kamukura stopped abruptly, seemingly caught on a word. He recovered soon enough. “That was when she was alone. With the help of me and Alter Ego, progress has increased substantially.”

“Who? Wait, nevermind… As long as it’s getting done. That’s what matters.”

“Correct.” He moved to leave, looking back at Ryota for a moment. “You want to say something. You have a request. What is it?”

“Oh, uh, it’s probably nothing.” He bit his lip. “Well, uh, just… I’m worried about Nanami-san. She looked pretty out of it, I guess. It’s actually been like that since the party… Everyone said that it’s normal for her, though… It’s probably just me being paranoid, I guess. They know her better, anyway…”

“Your concern is valid.” He clenched his hand around the bag, beginning to walk to the dorms.

“What does that… Hey, wait, are you going to see her?” Ryota shouted as he continued moving away. “That’s probably not a good idea… I mean, last time she saw you, you were trying to kill her… That can’t be a good idea.”

“How boring. It is where I was headed after you, anyway.” He replied, his voice barely audible. “Don’t follow.”

**Izuru Kamukura**

Izuru quickly made his way out of the open area, into the dorm hall. He turned the knob to the Gamer’s room, pulling the door open. A breeze struck him, a window in her room open. He quietly made his way in, his eyes snapping to her bed.

She was curled up on top of her covers, rigid. Still wearing the costume from her Halloween party. Izuru glanced around the room for anything else important. Only after surveying, he dared approach her. The foreign feelings of worry, anxiety, and guilt caused him to hesitate.

Her eyes were wide open, yet she barely acknowledged his presence. Her pupils dilated only slightly when he entered her view. “Are you hurt?” He asked, examining her quickly. “Nanami-san. Talk to me.”

She only returned a muffled whimper. Some motion also returned to her body, her hands quivering. 

“Mitarai is worried for you.” He set down the food and bag, kneeling. “Your consoles have not moved since I was last here. That indicates you haven’t touched them. Therefore, I can only conclude that you have relapsed.”

No reaction. Only a few blinks. He sat still for a moment, hesitant on how to continue. _It is bad practice to initiate physical interaction with a patient in such a state._ He repeated this in his head multiple times. Despite himself, he approached, crouching down in front of her. He raised his hand slowly. At an equal speed, he brought it back down, giving her enough time to object. Until his hand made contact with her shoulder.

Her breath hitched, causing him to flinch and pull away. It was a reaction akin to if he’d snuck up on her. His hand hovered in the air for a brief moment before he brought it back down. It once again met her shoulder. There was no sharp reaction this time, so he let it rest. “Nanami-san, I am not here to hurt you. You require help and I will help you.” He could feel her rapid heartbeat.

The Gamer took several soft breaths as she stared at him. Eventually, she spoke. “I… I don’t…” She took another deep breath before continuing. “I don’t need help… I need to… Help them… They don’t get it…” Her sentences were barely cohesive.

“You do need help. Right now, you are in need of help. You are acting self-destructive.” Izuru continued to stare into her eyes, slowly beginning to caress her shoulder.

“Stop, please… I’m fine… Stop trying to help me…” Her eyes betrayed her words.

“I am not going to do that.” He pushed some hair out of her face with his free hand. “You are not well. You are not fine.”

“They don’t get it… I need to help them… They don’t need to help me. I am fine.” Some warmth began to return to her voice. “I need to help them. They need my help.”

“You are deluding yourself. Until you accept my help, I cannot leave.” He took her hand in his.

“N… No, stop.” She gave a half-hearted attempt to pull away. “I don’t… I don’t deserve your help… I don’t deserve you…”

“You do. Now, please explain to me what happened. I wasn’t able to observe your party, so tell me.” He needed a basis to advance on.

“Nothing… It was fine… Nothing happened… I’m fine.” She mumbled.

“Nanami-san. You need to tell me, or I won’t be able to help.” He restated.

“I don’t need help… I’m okay… I don’t.” Her shaky voice broke for a moment. “I’m alright. I need to help. I don’t need help, I need to help.”

Izuru still wasn’t getting anywhere. He had to approach from another angle. Using what he gathered so far and a slight truth, he clutched her hand tighter. “You are not well. Seeing you like this is causing me distress. If you want to help me, let me help you. Do you understand?”

“You…? Nobody… Nobody gets it… I don’t need help… I’m okay…” She lowered her guard, shifting into a sitting position on her bed. He stood awkwardly for a few moments before taking a seat next to her.

“As much as you deny it, it still remains true. You are denying yourself something you need. It is not healthy. Listen to me when I say this, you are not in a good state. You need help and I am here for you.” Izuru stated calmly.

“I…” She bit her lip, stopping herself.

“Please. Stop preventing yourself from recovering.” He placed his hand back on her shoulder. She flinched at the touch, but didn’t move away.

“Yeah, I got it. I’ll just go and apologize. That’s what’s worrying everyone.” She grabbed her cane, giving a forced smile.

He pushed down, stopping her from getting up. “You can’t leave.”

“Huh…? Let go…” She struggled. Izuru quickly released her, realising it could be hurting her. “Why can’t I just… Help them. I just… Want them to be okay.”

“Even on the edge of depression and despair, you care about others more than yourself. Hope is as self-destructive as despair, it seems.” He noted.

“I don’t… Care about hope… It’s just made things worse…” She mumbled. “Plus I thought you were giving up on that… Stuff.”

“We are getting sidetracked. You need to talk to me. If I understand what is going on, I can help you.” He frowned.

She looked like she was about to deny it again, but let out a long sigh. “Stop… I don’t want to be a problem… So don’t make it one…”

Something clicked in his mind. He quickly wondered why he hadn’t realised before. “Nanami-san. You can’t keep hiding. You weren’t just hurt physically from your encounter. Mental scars shouldn’t be ignored.”

“I’m not ignoring them. Gekkogahara-san helped me with it…” She shook her head.

“You said it yourself. She was not effective. As you put it, you were ‘like her Dating Sim.’” He paused, catching up to his thoughts. “It has evaded me until now. But, you’ve been masking yourself. Your true emotions. Am I wrong?”

“As long as I’m happy, it keeps me from becoming their problem. They just… They’d get really worried if I wasn’t happy. So I need to be happy or they won’t be…” Her voice was quiet and weak.

“How long? This is extremely unhealthy behavior. It leads to imposter syndrome, depression, anxiety, and thoughts of self harm.” He held her hand.

“I wouldn’t… I’m not any of that…” She slumped over, cradling her head. “See, this is… What I mean. You’re worried now… I don’t want that…”

“You are only going to degrade your mental state continuing like you are. If you are honest with yourself and others, you will begin to recover. It may feel like you aren’t making progress, but you will. Nanami-san.”

“Why can’t you just… Leave. You’re not… Helping…”

“Recontextualized, it is beginning to make sense. When your class decided to go search for the Ultimate Imposter, I assumed it was blatant disregard of your emotions.” He paused. “Instead, there is another explanation. Your mask fooled them until then. They never suffered the consequences of your attempted execution, only you did. When you faked your emotional recovery, they bought into it. Therefore, they assumed you were in a positive condition. That is why they left.” He stopped, having said the most he had in his existence.

“I… I don’t know… What you mean.” She clutched her head.

“When you forgot Nevermind’s birthday, your mask slipped. Only for a moment. After that, you kept it secure. Not able to be seen through.” He concluded.

“I’m not… I’ve just been myself… I’m just me…” She denied without a spark of life in her voice. “I’d never lie to my friends…”

“I didn’t say you were.” He shook his head. “It is a mostly unconscious act. You had little control over it.”

“What… Do you want? Why are you doing this?” She lifted her head, only enough to meet his eyes.

“You need to recover. A healthy mental state is important.” Izuru reached out, taking her hand. “Would you like it if we started simpler?” He paused, eliciting a barely observable nod. “Choose one of your classmates. Say their name.”

“Ah… Mitarai-kun, I guess.” She mumbled, likely the first name that came to her.

“Tell me your true thoughts about him. As much as you would like to disclose.” He crossed his arms.

“Huh? O-Okay… Uh…” She paused for a moment. “He saved my life, which is important, probably… I wish he’d been with us since the beginning though. Hm… He seems close with Imposter-san, I think.”

“I asked for your true thoughts. Those aren’t.” He clutched her hand. “If you don’t want to share them, then don’t. We can choose someone else.”

“But… They are… That’s how I… Really feel.” She blinked some tears out of her eyes, almost before he could notice. “I’m not hiding anything.”

“You aren’t hiding anything, but you know that isn’t true.” He leaned his head forward. “We have almost broken through. It will come easier after the first.”

“First…?” She wrestled her hand away. “It is true, though… I… I’m not…” Her expression tightened. “I don’t… I don’t… I’m not… I don’t get it…”

“Nanami-san. You need to explain it to yourself so you can begin to accept it.” He knew that forcing too much would only make it worse. There wasn’t time to wait and come back. It needed to happen now. “You need to accept it. Or you won’t recover.”

“Mmm… I… I can’t…” She shut her eyes, taking several deep breaths. “I… I mean… He saved my life… How am I supposed to…”

“You’re almost there. You are close.” He assured her.

“How can I… Make up for that…? I-I don’t get it… Why can’t I just… Why do I always feel guilty, y’know? How does anyone repay that? He put himself in danger for me and… And everyone… And all I’ve done is make him feel worse… And Sakakura-san too… And Munakata-san…” Her back began to shake as tears poured from her eyes. She quickly rubbed them out.

“You can’t. As much as you want to, there is no way to adequately repay them for your own life.” He shook his head. “What I can tell you is they don't expect anything from you in return. You have nothing equal to trade, but they don’t want anything from you. It is simple.”

“Yeah, I know… I get it but… They’ve done so much for me and I’ve just… Made everything worse for them.” Her lips trembled. “Maybe… It’d have just been easier-”

“Don’t finish that thought.” He interrupted. “We should move onto someone else.”

She pursed her lips and nodded. “Uh, well… Sonia-san is really nice… She’s helped me with translating some western games, which is cool. She’s also really pretty, probably. Her being a princess is cool.”

“You need to dig deeper. It won’t get better until you accept and recognize your true emotions.” He crossed his arms.

She didn’t bother denying it. “I, uh… She’s kinda… Out of touch, I think. She’s always been nice, like really really nice, but sometimes I just… Feel like I can’t relate to her. And, during the party… When she was talking about getting kidnapped and stuff it just… I get what she was trying to say, but… I don’t think it worked. It just made me more worried… And… She’s constantly had to worry about getting killed just for being born… Agent 47 style, y’know…” She paused to catch her breath. “Like, who am I to be upset about it when I was the idiot…”

“Your problems are not nullified simply because somebody else has gone through similar experiences.” He sighed. “Next. Try not to start with the positives.”

“Okay, okay… Komaeda-kun is a little weird, I guess. Like, sometimes I kinda want him to shut up. But everyone else is kinda mean to him, so I gotta be nice.” She stopped, shaking her head. “This just feels like you’re making me say bad things about my friends…”

“It is to help you recognise and break through your subconscious. If you feel you have, we can move on.”

“Can’t we just do this tomorrow… Or next week?” She sighed.

“No.”

“Huh? Well… Gekkogahara-san let me stop if I didn’t wanna talk about something. She’s a total pro, too.” She pleaded.

“Time is limited. It isn’t a matter of me not letting you. We physically can’t do it next week, and I am preoccupied tomorrow.” He stopped as he considered telling her about the Neo World Program’s development. Ultimately, he decided against it.

“Why not…?” She looked at him. The silence lasted long enough that she must’ve realized he had no intention of telling her. “You’re just making me more worried…”

“You need to continue. Once you break through your mental block, you will begin to recover.” Izuru brought his knee up. “You don’t need to continue with Komaeda. You can choose someone else.” He considered telling her about the Lucky Student’s talk on the roof, but also decided not to.

“Hm… Well…” She paused, scratching at the scar under her eye. “Okay, I choose you, Kamukura-kun.”

“I am not one of your classmates.” He closed his eyes. “If you wish, continue.”

She took in a deep breath. “You’ve always tried to help me, right? So whenever I think about it… I mean… I want Hinata-kun back… But that also means you’ll hafta go, too… And it sucks so much, because you’re both my friends, I think.” She mumbled. “I want you to stay, but I also want him back…”

“You wish to help us both. It is unfortunate.” He looked into her eyes. Something was there, buried so deep, he could barely notice. “There’s something else. You are hiding it. Nanami-san. Tell me.”

“Eh…? I… I…” Something snapped, causing her to recoil. Her eyes widened, into an expression he’d seldom seen before. Fear. “I’m… It’s… Y-You were…”

Izuru pulled his hand away. “It is alright. I have no intent to harm you.” He stood up, moving to the other end of the room.

“I know… I know you’re not… You’d never do that, but still… You were friends with Enoshima and she… You ditched her… Y-You killed her… What’s to stop you f-from… You could find someone else and then…” She didn’t bother finishing that thought. “I know you wouldn’t, but… I mean, you said you were gonna give up on despair… And hope… But you didn’t, I think.”

“Calling Enoshima and I friends is a blatant misunderstanding of our relationship.” He crossed his arms. “If you were terrified, why did you continue to tolerate me?”

“W-Well… You needed help… And you made it clear that I was the only one who could. So I needed to… To help you.” She sniveled.

“Harming you wouldn’t be boring, but in an undesirable way. Additionally, in a way that would only last until your memory faded. Therefore it is more interesting to keep you without harm.” _Hope truly is self-destructive._ He didn’t add.

“You’ve… Considered it!?” She shuffled backwards, alarmed.

“I consider every possible outcome at once, accurately. That was until I met you. My accuracy fell.” He shook his head. “Consideration doesn’t mean I have intention.”

“Can I just… I need some time alone. It’s my room, so you should leave.” She crossed her arms.

After a few long moments, he nodded, retreating to the door. “There is tempura, along with macarons in the carrier, and a…” He contemplated the wording. “Gift in the bag.”

Not giving her a chance to object, he left, making his way out of the building. Once back underground, he looked down at the ground. After an indiscernible amount of time, he made his way back to the surface, although exiting outside the Hope’s Peak grounds. He made his way to a remotely familiar fountain.

Izuru had a wealth of regret surging through him. He had pushed too hard, only managing to hurt her. It could work in his favour, though. If he had gone into the Neo World Program, it would have pained her. He pulled out Komaeda’s pistol.

Illogically in every way, he found himself displeased at the sight of it. Perhaps it was the fact that this was the start of it, the fact that Komaeda was unpredictable in all the wrong ways, or that it was the weapon used to end Enoshima. In any case, he didn’t like it being with him. With a toss, it landed in a trash can.

A familiar jingle played across his head. An auditory hallucination, he surmised. With a quick observation of the nearby area, he confirmed there was no other reason for it. He wished he could have played the game that sparked a drive in him one more time with her, but there wasn’t time.


	20. Neo

**Chiaki Nanami**

Her mind felt numb. She hadn’t wanted him to go, yet told him to. Of course he wouldn’t understand that. He wanted to help, and she didn’t let him. She should go after him. After taking a few deep breaths, she forced herself up.

Almost immediately, her legs gave out under her. Every part of her felt weak. An ache tore through her with each breath. Looking for a reason, she came up short. She tried again to get to her feet, feebly toppling backwards. “Oh…”

She’d fallen right next to Kamukura-kun’s bag. “That’s right.” She thought out loud, taking in the smell. It had been a while since she’d even eaten, at least a few days. He’d probably want her to have something before going after him. “Mmm… Okay…”

The carrier held exactly what he’d said, a dish of tempura and a pile of macarons. She could tell it was his cooking immediately, the scent sublime. Her stomach groaned as soon as she laid her eyes on it. Chiaki quickly began eating, rivalling Owari-san and The Imposter in her speed. She forwent the tentsuyu sauce he’d placed inside, too hungry to wait.

Some energy soon returned to her, the sugar from the macarons giving her a boost. She ate enough to be sated, before letting out a sigh. Her eyes were drawn to the other thing he’d brought. “A gift… Doesn’t look like a trap…” She made out something tan through the opaque white bag. Kamukura-kun didn’t seem like the sentimental type, and it was still more than four months until her birthday. 

Chiaki slowly leaned forward to get a peak of what was inside. Her eyes lit up. The bag held a neatly folded pile of clothes. She beamed as she pulled out the brown jacket. It was all there. She began going through everything, looking it over. Her hoodie, shirt, skirt, socks, and shoes. Even her bow. He’d gotten her a new uniform.

She couldn’t help herself from loving her uniform. It helped provide a sense of unity, even if half her class didn’t wear it. Everything was as she remembered. The sweater being slightly oversized, a little tag in her pocket she liked to fiddle with when not playing a game. Even the same grease stain on the hem of her sleeve.

It struck her suddenly, causing her mind to halt. “This… Is my uniform…” She began to look over it again, noticing the almost invisible seams. On the arms of the jacket, hoodie, and shirt. Her shoe had been stitched back together, along with the rips in her thigh-highs. He’d even managed to clean off all the blood. It made sense he had it. After the maze, she woke up in a hospital gown, and he was the one who first tended to her. So he’d kept it this whole time.

Chiaki looked down at her onesie. She’d been wearing it for the better part of a week at this point. She wanted to get her new outfit on as soon as possible. Her mind flashed to Kamukura-kun. “Hmm… Right…” He probably wouldn’t approve of her not taking care of herself.

Fueled by the food, she climbed to her feet and shambled over to the washroom. She tore off her costume and climbed into the shower. It took a moment to find the right temperature. Once she did, it was refreshing.

After too long a time, she stumbled out. She grabbed a towel and haphazardly dried herself off. As she was about to step out of the room, she stopped, staring into the mirror. Her breath grew heavy as she looked into her reflection. It was still her, through everything. Somehow, such an obvious fact, felt surreal.

It barely even looked like her anymore. Scars littered her face, as well as her arms. She brought her hand up to her hair. It had almost grown back to its former length, still a little damp. Even her expression was stiffer. She tried to force a smile, but couldn’t find the willpower. Kamukura-kun wouldn’t want her to force it anyways.

Even through all that, it was her. It was still her. It was Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer. She was the Class Rep of Hope’s Peak Academy’s 77th class. And she was still alive. And that was what she wanted. She was alive, and so she could get better. It wasn’t going to be easy, but it was what she needed to do.

Chiaki took a few deep breaths, pulling herself out of her own head. She climbed out of the washroom and took a seat on her bed. A few minutes passed of quiet introspection. Afterwards, she let out a sigh and discarded the towel. She pulled on each piece of her uniform, relishing every one.

Her breath slowed, taking a moment to enjoy it. They were still slightly warm, probably from being washed. She grabbed her backpack, sliding it on her shoulders. It all felt so normal. “Oh… Right.” Chiaki fished around her drawer, pulling out her hair clip. She carefully attached it and let herself smile.

Unfortunately, she still had to walk with the cane. Which also meant no walking and gaming. She sighed and grabbed her GGA anyways. It felt good to hold a console in her hand, even if she wasn’t playing it. After making sure she had everything she wanted, she stepped out into the hall.

Even though she wanted to talk to Kamukura-kun, she headed to her classroom. He wanted her to accept how she felt about everyone, so he’d want her to talk to them. Following that train of thought, she made her way to the main entrance. She considered taking the elevator, but decided against it. It probably wasn’t the best idea while wearing her outfit. She began to climb the stairs, making it to her floor. That quickly took a lot out of her, running on mostly sugar.

Chiaki steeled herself one last time and slid open the door. A wave of disappointment tore through her as she saw nobody waiting there. Had they really stopped going because of her? Guilt and hate began to bubble up. She cut them off with a deep breath. _No._

“Nanami?” A voice behind her caused her to flinch, spinning on the spot. 

“Huh…? Ah, hey Pekoyama-san.” She waved.

“I see you’ve gotten your new uniform, I’m glad.” She softened her expression. “How are you? You look in a much better mood.”

“I do…?” Chiaki couldn’t help but feel hopeful upon hearing it, and it showed in her voice. “Hm… Well, I was hoping to talk to everyone. But you’re the only one here.”

“I presume it’s because you weren’t enforcing attendance. Not that anyone would fault you for it.” She hastily added. “Fairly, I am only here as I’m on my way to the dojo to train. Though, if it’s of importance to you, I’ll help find the others.”

“Well, uh… It’s…” She took another deep breath. “Yeah, it’s kinda important. If you don’t mind…”

“Of course. It is my pleasure.” The Swordswoman gave a quick nod. “Where should we search first?”

“Hm, well… There’s probably someone hanging around the dorms.” She shrugged.

“That sounds like a good plan. Once we get some more members, we could split up. But for now, we are more efficient in a group.” She strategized.

“Oh, oh! Like building a party in an RPG. And then a spin-off comes along, and a side character becomes the star.” The Gamer grinned.

“Then shall we be off?” She asked.

“Mhm, let’s go. Then you’ll get to be the protagonist.”

Together, they began back down the stairs. “I am more of a supporting cast type. Though I appreciate the notion.”

“Well, I don’t think so.” She shook her head. “Hm… Like, uh, last week… I heard you came to try and save me. You had this whole sword against bat fight. That’s total hero stuff, right?”

“Perhaps, but I still lost. In the end, we even failed to reach you.” She crossed her arms. “Even then, such an act is not inherently heroic. It is simply a natural reaction when someone close to you… A friend is in peril.”

“You think so…?” Chiaki sighed. “I guess that makes sense. Still, you’re super cool for doing that…”

“Gh… You say such strange things.” She dropped her guard for a moment, just as quickly returning to her usual calmness. “In all fairness, Mioda-san, Mitarai-kun, and Saionji-san were there. Alongside most of Class 78. And I can say with near certainty that the others would have been there if they had been awake.”

“Well, that’s kinda part of why I’m getting everyone together, I think.” She sighed. “That’s why it’s important…”

“I see. Then I am at your service to gather them.” Pekoyama-san nodded. “I trust your judgement.”

**Byakuya Togami**

They sat in silence. Their teacher hadn’t shown up in over a month, and class was optional. Yet they had all come, day after day. Kirigiri was shaken, but recovered quickly. It seemed Ishimaru was more broken up over her father’s death than even she was. The day was progressing, as they usually had. Other than Fukawa’s salivating, there was a void of sound. It gave Byakuya time to read, at the very least.

“Guys, guys! C’mon! Quickly!” A shout broke the tranquility, startling the more frightful of the class. The sound of a phone ringing burst out.

“Asahina-san! Please use your indoor voice when talking indoors!” The Moral Compass scolded. “And a cellphone is not suited for a school environment!”

“The hell d’you want?” Owada shrugged, clearly enjoying the silence.

“It’s Sakura-chan! Guys! She’s calling!” The Swimmer waved around the phone. “I haven’t talked to her in, like, forever!”

“Huh? Oh, cool!” Naegi smiled. “You might wanna answer it before it goes to voicemail, though.”

“Right!” She hit a button and the ringing stopped. “Hey! Sakura-chan! How are you!?”

“Asahina. Are the others with you?” The cracked voice came from the speakers.

“Yes, we are here.” Kirigiri answered. “All but Kuwata-kun… And Maizono-san, but I assume you are aware why.”

“I heard, yes. If only I’d been there. I could have protected you all.” She sighed. “It is terrible what happened to them both.”

“I-It’s okay… You left to be with your family… There’s nothing wrong with that…” Fujisaki continued to type away at her laptop as she talked.

“Thank you… Still, I wish I’d been there. To hear a close friend had been murdered. And another in despair. While I was unable to help-”

“Is unchangeable. It is what happened. Dwelling on it will only cloud your judgement.” Byakuya interrupted.

“I see you haven’t changed in my absence, Togami.” A passive-aggressive tone carried her voice. “And, Kirigiri. I am sorry about your father. But… If what they’re saying is true, I cannot forgive him.”

“Neither can I…” She hung onto the word for longer than she needed to.

“Yeah… And to think I used to love this school.” Naegi sighed. “I thought it was all about hope, but… It’s super fake.”

“Those fuckers seriously fucked up that dude’s brain. I say he’s better off dead.” Owada crossed his arms.

“How could you say that, bro!? To sentence someone without fair trial is unjust!” Ishimaru quickly objected.

“I am not hesitant to trust the Ultimate Detective’s deductions.” Ogami spoke up. “If that is the decision Kirigiri has come to, then I am inclined to believe it.”

“Y-Yeah… Master said i-it’s true, so it’s gotta b-be.” Fukawa mumbled. “Plus there w-was that paper…”

“Yes, it is… True. Though on behalf of the Togami Corporation, I confirm we had no involvement.” He pushed his glasses up.

“Are we just s’posed to take your word for it? Aren’t your folks, like, funders or something?” The Biker shrugged.

“Yes, you are.” He clenched his fist. “Them being shareholders implicates them, yes. But as I said, they had no involvement. This discussion is over.”

“W-Well… I think it more than just implicates them.” Fujisaki mumbled. “Um, I mean… Pretty much all the shareholders knew about-”

“Shut up. You have been stopped.” Byakuya interrupted. “They are not. As I said, this discussion is over. Unless you are saying you are privy to knowledge of which I am not. And, as I said, it is not possible.”

“Guys, we’re getting distracted, this is supposed to be about Sakura-chan!” Asahina shouted.

“It is alright. I understand why you are upset. I should be going anyway. Please, let Kuwata know I wish him the best.” She rustled around.

“Oh, uh, well… It was nice catching up with you.” The Swimmer pouted.

“Wait! Ogami-san. Please, stay for a little longer.” Kirigiri said, louder than usual.

“If you wish.” She paused for a moment. “Is something wrong?”

“There is. Naegi, have you noticed it?” The Detective looked over at the Lucky Student.

“H-Huh? What do you mean? I don’t… See anything?” He looked around worriedly.

“Hm… You’re talking about what she said, correct? Perhaps you’re just paranoid.” Byakuya sat down.

“Wait, I think I get it… Ogami-san, um, I’m not accusing you of anything… But, how do you know about Kuwata-kun?” Naegi tilted his head. “I didn’t think anybody else knew about him. And the news hasn’t heard, either.”

“Gh…” A dissatisfied grunt came through the phone.

“Th-that Idiot Swimmer Girl probably told her.” The Writer mumbled.

“Huh? Idiot Swimmer Girl!?” She shouted back. “I, uh, I mean… I hadn’t told her. I haven’t even talked to her since, uh… Maizo…” She trailed off.

“I didn’t want you to find out about it… At least, not like this.” She sighed through the receiver.

“The fuck? What does that mean?” Owada asked.

“I should… I should start from the beginning, at least.” The Martial Artist shuffled about, taking a few steps away from where she had been standing. “It was a few days after I had left. Ikusaba had showed up on my front door. Instantly, I fought her. Unarmed, I had the upper hand, but she soon pulled a weapon and turned the tides.”

A few gasps escaped from those around the room. 

“Eventually, she overpowered me, forcing my surrender.” Ogami sighed. “She began to use my home as lodging. When she captured Kuwata, he was taken here. And… I am sorry, Hina… But whenever you talked to me, she was listening in. I didn’t want you to find out this way.”

“Why!?” Asahina shouted. “Why did she… Why’d she choose you?”

“I asked the same thing… Hagakure has apparently fled the country with his mother. A hunting party of Yakuza is after him. As for Celeste, she has apparently moved to Europe. Along with Yamada, who followed her. Therefore, she had no choice but to come to me.” She explained.

“And I assume you were also behind the leak. Ikusaba forced you to inform the public, causing discord and unrest.” Byakuya grinned. “It would explain how the news got out.”

“It is true. I am sorry, I was weak.” She said with a flat voice. “Goodbye.”

“Huh? Wait, don’t-” Asahina’s voice was cut off by the phone’s beeping. “Guys, look what you’ve done! You all suck!”

“For stating the truth? Misplaced trust like yours is dangerous. If Ikusaba had forced her to attack us, we’d have stood no chance.” Byakuya sneered. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I will be on my way.”

“Wait, but it’s still school hours. You mustn’t ditch.” Ishimaru objected.

“You should check that wristwatch of yours. Not that I hold any obligation to remain in the first place.” He stepped out before anyone else could delay him.

**Chiaki Nanami**

By the time she’d finally gathered everyone, class had ended. Chiaki hobbled along with the Lucky Student, being the last person she’d found. They’d decided to meet in the classroom, so that’s where everyone was to be waiting. “I’m sorry you had trouble finding me.”

“Huh? Oh… It’s fine…” The spare time had let her prepare some things to say in advance.

“It’s troubled me, to hear you want to talk to us all. I might just be paranoid, but I’m a little worried.” He laughed. “Though, perhaps it could also be hopeful news. Which one will it be?”

“Uh, well… It’s just something I want- No, I need to get off my chest.” Chiaki dodged around the question. She wasn’t even sure herself it was good news.

“You’ve never been one to be vague… Well, that’s only my unsubstantial residue of an opinion.” He continued to smile, something in his eyes scaring her. “I am glad to see your uniform once again. It is, how do I say… Endearing.”

“Thanks…” She had instinctively reached out to door, not even realising they had arrived. Taking a breath, she slid it open.

A chorus of surprised voices sounded, a majority of which Pekoyama-san had brought in. They hadn’t seen her yet. “Ah! Nanami-san, you’re… I’m surprised the school was able to get you a new one, with the, y’know… Issues.” Koizumi smiled, snapping a picture.

“It is truly an outfit befitting that of a demon of such level.” Tanaka-kun smirked.

“I thought I was only level one though?” She mumbled, taking a seat at her desk.

“Fuhaha, the darkness within you grows with each passing day. At your rate, you’re likely to surpass even the darkest souls within the year.” He boomed. Chiaki pulled her GGA out, beginning to fumble about with a game.

“Hey, don’t tell me you got us all, just to have a class with no teacher!” Soda-kun groaned.

“Oh, no, I didn’t… I just have… A lot to say. I think I’m a little nervous.” She mumbled.

“Take as much time as you need! Do some stretches to clear your mind!” Nidai-kun shouted over everyone.

“That seems awkward, I’m probably not doing that.” She kept her focus on the game, increasingly aware of how everyone’s eyes were digging into her. “I think we should… We need to talk about everything.”

“What’s that mean?” Owari-san asked, tilting her head.

“Guys, we… We can’t just pretend it’s all over. I-I mean, we’re not gonna get better… Not until we try.” She finally forced her eyes up. “If we do it, we’ll be alright.”

“Nanami-san. You… Are you okay?” The Imposter asked hesitantly. “You are acting abnormal. If you need to talk, we are here.”

“Yeah, if you wanna say something, go ahead. No judgement here.” The Photographer smiled.

“Hmm… Okay… I just…” She caught herself on the word. This was it. There was no going back after this. They would all know, and worry, and she’d just be causing them problems. She opened her mouth to call it off. _Kamukura-kun. He wouldn’t want me to stop._ “I’m not over it… You all seem so ready to move on, but… I can’t. And I feel like I’m letting you down.”

“I mean, that makes sense.” Kuzuryu-kun pulled his feet off his desk, putting on a more serious face. “I don’t even wanna think about what happened to you… No shit you’re even worse off.” He sighed. “Shit, that sounded wrong. Like, I mean… There’s nothing wrong with being fucked up after… All that.” He choked on his words.

“He is correct. It is to be expected… After everything that’s happened. You have gone through more trauma than most people do in their lifetime. You don’t need to feel bad that you are hurt.” Pekoyama-san said in a concise manner. “In fact, we have moved on too fast. Which in turn, made you feel like you weren’t progressing.”

“B-But you guys getting better is a good thing. So don’t, like, just get worse for my sake… Or something.” She mumbled.

“I get it, though. We have barely gone through anything, compared to you.” Sonia-san pouted. “It is less a matter of us progressing faster. We simply have less to recover from.”

“That makes sense, but… I mean, Mioda-san got better faster than me. She was barely even doing anything a week ago.” She didn’t mean to call her out, only realizing after she said it. “I mean, she was also super hurt for a while…”

“Well, Ibuki lost someone very close to her, so it’s probably sorta different.” She scratched at the scar on her face. Chiaki decided not to mention Hinata-kun, as that was a separate issue on it’s own. “What Ibuki’s saying is, she’s not really better, but she’s going to move on. But, like, no pressure on Chiaki-chan.”

“Maybe we should just… Change the subject.” She suggested.

“It’s up to you. If you wish.” The Imposter nodded.

“Okay… Okay… I just… Why…” The Gamer contorted her face to hide the wealth of emotion, focussing on the handheld. “Why’d it have to be me?” She forced the question out of her mouth, blinking quickly, trying to hold her composure. “Like, I’m not saying… I would never want any of you… Anyone at all to go through that, but… But why’d it have to be me?”

“That’s a… Loaded question…” Soda-kun mumbled to himself, desperate to interact in any way. “I dunno, maybe cuz you’re our class rep ‘n all.”

“Shut up, dumbass!” Saionji-san quickly slapped him. “It’s because she was some psycho crazy bitch who got off on that kinda shit.”

“Y-Yeah, that makes sense… It’s a good thing you killed her.” The Mechanic sighed, rubbing his cheek.

“Jesus, you fucking idiot. Don’t say that.” Kuzuryu-kun objected.

He threw his arms up. “What? You don’t want her dead!?”

“Of course I do, but… Nanami didn’t kill… Fuck, nevermind.” He groaned. “Just, stop saying stupid shit.”

Chiaki was about to step in to stop the fight, when someone grabbed her shoulder. “Hey, knock it off or I’ll punch you!” Owari-san shouted, silencing them. “I’m not the best at this kinda stuff, but… I don’t really think there’s nothing wrong with what you’re saying.”

“It’s true. You have been subjected to a fight for your life multiple times throughout the past month. It is understandable that you are hurt and scared. As your manager, I am here to support you!” Nidai-kun shouted.

“I… I’m…” Chiaki felt her body go rigid, the game slipping out of her hands. The sound of it falling flat against the floor snapped her. She clutched her head, collapsing over the desk. “I don’t… I don’t want to die… Just, why… Gh…” Her face was buried, so they couldn’t see the mess that she was. Though she was shaking so intensely, it probably didn’t matter.

The classroom fell silent, other than her muffled whimpers. No one dared to say something, lest they make it worse. It began to feel like the conversation would end here. “Nanami-san. You aren’t going to die. Not now. Not anytime soon.”

Chiaki glanced up, locking eyes with the Imposter. She quickly pulled back in, not wanting any of them to see her like she was. The only response she gave was an inaudible mumble.

“You are safe. We aren’t going to hurt, nor harm you. Right now, you are terrified. The Nanami-san I knew wouldn’t hesitate to help those around her. So I shall treat you the same.” They paused, the scraping of a chair stood out around the room. “You're still you, right? You are able to live your own life. That is already enough. All you have to do is be yourself.”

“It’s…” She forced her head up, her eyes puffy from the tears. “I tried… I tried to be me… I tried to be a good person… But… That just…”

“Nanami-san. I could never imagine, nor act as someone who has gone through what you have. But what I do know is, you-”

“I know… How can I just… I want to be good, but… Why…?” She interrupted, rubbing her eyes. “Shouldn’t I get some… I dunno, good karma or something? Shouldn’t that have kicked in now? Everything just keeps getting worse… And I can’t…”

“Karma, huh? Is that what you call it?” Komaeda-kun smiled from his seat, still off in the corner, as no one had moved it since his return. “I don’t know much, but… It will balance out eventually. No matter how bad it gets… No matter how much despair there is… Hope will always win out in the end!”

“Hey, weirdo, are you even talking about the same thing?” Koizumi-san scolded. “But, uh… I guess the principle is the same… It’ll come soon, I’m sure.”

“When…? I don’t… I just want this to all be over… I don’t want to hurt anymore… I just want it to end… I need it to…” She sniffled.

“It will end.” Mitarai-kun spoke up. He seemed to contemplate his words before saying them. “I, uh, have something to tell you all… I think it’ll help.”

“Go ahead, if you think so.” The Imposter smiled.

“Well, um, I’ve been working on something… Basically, it’s a program to help those who are sick with Despair.”

“Oh, sweet! Like, a hundred push ups and they’re better?” Owari-san pumped her fist.

“I-It’s more, uh, virtual…” He murmured. “They’ll go under and when they get up, they’ll be normal. It’s going to start tomorrow.”

“So Mikan-chan and Leon-chan are gonna be back tomorrow!? Chisa-chan too? Wahoo!” Mioda-san cheered. “Plus, she’ll totally be able to help Chiaki-chan!”

“It’s, uh… It’s sorta a fifty day thing… But after that, yeah.” He scratched the back of his head.

For some reason, anxiety bubbled up inside her as he spoke. It was only stifled at the mention of the timeframe. Chiaki wanted them better, but she couldn’t help but feel dread at the actual outcome. She bit her lip.

“That is great news!” Sonia-san grinned. “I am delighted to hear it! What about you, Nanami-san?”

“I… Yeah…” She spoke in a quiet voice. “That’s a good thing… It’ll help… Yukizome-sensei always knew-” Her voice was cut off but a sniffle. “She always knew what to say…”

“Nanami-san. That’s not true.” Pekoyama-san said, a sense of forcefulness in her voice. “I understand… That day, those two… If it makes you uncomfortable, you might not want to be there when they first recover.”

“I just… I want them better… And I know that wasn’t them… But, still…” Chiaki forced out. “I’m s-scared. I don't… Want to die…” She repeated. “I still… There’s still people… I need to help…”

“Jesus, are you okay?” The Yakuza walked up to her. “Don’t you go screwing yourself for others… Don’t need any more of those types in my life.”

“I’m not… Screwing myself… You wouldn’t get it…” She defended.

“Hey, I’m not that soulless. I know how it feels to try your best to help people. Even when it feels like you’re not making progress.” He leaned in, quieting his voice to a whisper. “You're… My very first friend. Even now… I'm still worried about whether I deserve to lead the clan… But I feel like that might change once I get out of here. If you're unsure, then live and live on... Search persistently and keep looking for it. And then, you should… You should be able to do it.”

“Kuzuryu-kun…” She mumbled thoughtfully.

He backed up, speaking normally. “You’re not the type to die easy, so I trust you’re gonna be fine.”

“Jeez, what’d you say?” Soda-kun groaned.

“I whispered for a reason, bastard.” He rolled his eyes.

“Fine, then. I didn’t want to know anyways!”

The crying had begun to make her drowsy. Along with the lack of sleep, she could feel herself growing tired. Her blinking slowed. “I think I’m just… Going to lie down for a bit. Thank you…” She pushed herself up, moving unsteadily towards the door.

“Oh, Nanami-san. You wouldn’t want to forget this.” Komaeda-kun shuffled up behind her. “Here you go.” He handed over her handheld.

“Oh, thanks…” She grabbed it, holding the console as hard as her weary grip could muster.

“Get some good sleep. Tomorrow’s a hopeful day!” He grinned, giving her the parting words.

**Juzo Sakakura**

Juzo had set an alarm so he’d be awake early. In the end, it didn’t matter, as she was still up before him. “Heya Juzo-chan~! You’ve got your serious face on today! Something’s up, I just know it! Oh, oh! Are you getting your new job? Can I come!?” She smirked.

“New job? What?” He checked his phone.

“Oh, y’know! Since you let the Headmaster die, doesn’t that make you the highest up?”

“I’m not getting a new job.” He shrugged. “Yeah, I guess I’m in charge, but I’m not the Headmaster. Somebody else’ll get the job.”

“That’s pretty presumptuous of you… Rumor has it the school’s shutting down at the end of the school year. You wouldn’t happen to have a hand in that, would you?”

“How’d you-?!” He cut himself off. “Yeah, okay… It was my idea.”

Yukizome faked a gasp. “Juzo-chan, how could you!? Do our memories here mean nothing to you?” She began to cry, although obviously false. “Or maybe were you so hurt by my betrayal and Munakata’s death that you couldn’t go on. And everytime you look at the school you can’t stand your own failure. It’s an ever present reminder of your incompetence!”

“Fuck off.” He groaned, watching a message come in.

“Ouch, nail on the head, huh?” She cackled.

“Alright, it’s time.” Juzo got to his feet.

“Huh? Ain’t it a little early for you to go to- Huh!?” She squirmed when he grabbed her arm. “I get you’re used to being rough, but no need… Okay, what the hell are you doing?”

He clipped the handcuffs around her wrists. “Today’s the day…”

“What? You don’t wanna scare me, right? Cuz you’re starting to scare me…” She pulled away.

“This is only to make sure you can’t hurt anyone.” He grabbed her shoulder, dragging her towards the door. “We’re going out.”

“Oh, oh, are we going on a date? I dunno, my schedule is pretty tight. Plus I haven’t done my hair, yet.” She pulled back in a thinly veiled protest.

Juzo pulled open his door, tugging her out. “Listen, you don’t have a choice in this. It’s for your own good.”

“Wait… Wait, I know what you’re doing! Let go! I’m not doing this!” She struggled.

“What? You afraid it’ll work?” He retorted.

“Nuh-uh! Not true! Not at all!” She puffed her cheeks. “But I’m still not going!”

“We’re already running late. Come here, up you go.” He grabbed her, throwing her over his shoulder.

“Hey! Put me down!” She pounded against his back.

Without having to haul her on foot, he stormed out of the staff building. The message he’d gotten from Mitarai said they were ready on the fifth floor. In the Bio Lab. Juzo began to ascend, ignoring her objections.

He quickly reached the top. The last time he’d been here, the stench of blood had been thick in the air. It must’ve been cleaned, as it now smelled as fresh as the rest of the building. A few people were waiting for him.

“Okay, I think we’re ready. All four pods are prepared. As well as the participants. The drug has been administered to Kuwata and Tsumiki, but still needs to be given to Yukizome-sensei.” Mitarai spoke, talking to himself. He looked as if he’d barely slept.

“Ah, hey, Sakakura-senpai…” He turned his attention to the Pharmacist. “If you don’t mind, I can take her. She needs to be set up with everything. And I still need to run some tests to find out her dose.” She reached her hand out, looking as tired as the others.

Fujisaki was hammering away at a keyboard and Gekkogahara was rolling around, running various tasks. He sighed, setting her down. “Here, take her. She’s a little upset, though, so be careful.”

“Yeah, I got it.” Kimura grabbed her and began to pull with a surprising amount of strength.

Juzo looked around the floor. It was hectic, so much being done at once. He tried to spot an opening to step in and help, but found none. If it meant Yukizome-san would get better sooner, he’d have to stay away. With one last sigh, he turned and descended the stairs. As he did, someone stormed past him. He continued down, as whoever was there, probably knew what they were doing.

**Chiaki Nanami**

“Mitarai-kun… Where is he?” She panted, having climbed five flights of stairs.

“Huh? Nanami-san? Why are you here?” He seemed surprised, leaning against a half-wall.

“Komaeda-kun woke me up. He told me… Kamukura-kun was… Was going in too…” She coughed, supporting herself with her cane.

“I… I mean, yeah… Yeah he is… So that’s a good thing. It’s voluntary too, so I think it’ll work out.”

“It’s not a good thing…! Or, w-well… I just… I need to talk to him. We need to talk… At least one more time.” She huffed. “Where is he…?”

“Okay… He’s waiting in the Bio Lab… I don’t know why, he just is…” He rubbed his eye.

Chiaki nodded and began to walk over. She paused for a moment, looking back. “Th-Thank you Mitarai-kun… For doing this… For everything…” Not daring to wait any longer, she made her way to the door, pulling it open.

The room had been transformed. The first thing she noticed was that it wasn’t freezing, instead a normal room temperature. Curtains hung around four of the fridges, which had been pulled out, retrofitted with several wires and devices she didn’t recognise. Two of their lights were on.

He was stood in the centre, though something was different. “H-Hinata-kun…?”

“No.” The man stated, turning around. If not for the eyes, they’d be identical.

“Oh… You cut your hair?” She mumbled. “I didn’t think you… Could.”

“Of course I can. I possess the Ultimate Hairdresser.” He shook his head. “That isn’t what you meant, though. Correct?”

“I just thought… It was important or something… Like, for your talent.” She shrugged. “Wait, no, I’m here to stop you…”

“Nanami-san. I am going to bring him back. There is no need to stop me. I’ve guaranteed it’s safety.” He spoke, an unusual intonation in his voice.

“Why? You… Why can’t you just stay…?” She reached out, clutching his blazer. “Y-You can’t just go… You’re killing yourself…”

“This body wasn’t mine to take. This life is boring.” He closed his eyes.

“Well… You saved my life, so I’m going to save yours…” She tried to pull him.

“Your life was, and is, more important.” Kamukura-kun stood sturdy.

“I’m… I’m not going to let you leave… Not again…” She futilely tugged harder. “You’re just like him… You weren’t even going to say bye…”

“Nanami-san. If you found out, you’d have stopped me before it was too late.” He grabbed her hand, pulling it off him.

“It’s not too late! You can come with me…” She clamped down around his hand, holding it tightly. “We could play a game… You liked Gala Omega, right?”

He seemed to wince. “It is too late. I have already administered the drug to myself. I must enter the Program. Even then, I would have gone through with this in all scenarios.”

“N-No… Why…” She pleaded. “I can’t let you… I’m not letting you do this for me!”

“I see. That’s your misunderstanding.” He wrenched his hand away. “Nanami-san. I am not doing this because of you. My reasons are different.”

“Huh?” She gave him a puzzled look. “Wait, but…”

“If you’d paid attention to what I’ve said, you’d understand.” He looked down at her. “I found a way to escape this boredom. Therefore I am taking it…”

“Hey… Kamukura-kun… You don’t… You don’t mean that.” She shook her head. “That’s not true. Because you had me for that, right? So it can’t be true.”

“Nanami-san.” He paused, looking at her. “The truth will only upset you. I am giving you the option to accept this.”

“No. I don’t. I’m not letting you… Not without the truth…” She braced herself, slightly afraid to hear it.

“I see.” He took a long breath, stalling. “Hinata. He was a young kid. His life was stolen. I can return it. He doesn’t deserve to not exist.”

“Really…? You’re doing it for Hinata-kun?” She took a moment to think about it. “Why would that… Upset me, though?”

“It is only half. The other reason is one you brought up yourself.” He seemed to look past her. “If it is possible for me to find someone else as interesting, I could end up performing acts that could hurt you. Your comparison was with Enoshima, which although different, is fair. As I am now, this is the quickest and most efficient way for me to ensure your safety.”

“That… You…” Chiaki tapped her fingers against her cane. “I don’t… Agree with this. But I also trust you… So… I-If this is your… Choice, then…” She forced out her words. “Then, okay… You can go…”

“Thank you.” He flexed his hand, opening and closing it. “Nanami-san. When fifty days pass, and Hinata awakes… Know that I am still in there. And however suppressed I am, I am… Looking out for you.”

“I-” She barely got a word out when the doors burst open.

“Huh… That’s a shame…” Someone spoke from behind her, a sense of malice filling the room.

Chiaki jumped, turning on the spot. Her startled eyes met his, swirling unnaturally. “H-Huh? K-Komaeda-kun? What’s wrong?”

“I was hoping my disgrace of a talent would be able to help me out this one time.” He laughed. “It’s a shame it’s now in my scummy hands.” 

“Wh-What? I don’t understand…” She backed up, bumping into Kamukura-kun.

“You are also here to stop me.” He said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You will fail to succeed.”

“I guess that’s expected of trash, but it’s still worth a shot.” He gave a maniacal grin. “To destroy such perfection…”

She stood awkwardly, slowly moving behind him. Her understanding of the situation was limited. He held out his arm protectively. “Talent is not everything, yet everything I am is talent. That is not perfection.”

“But you are the Ultimate Hope! And Hope is everything! I can’t allow that to be replaced by worthless talentless debris.” He continued to laugh, barely even breathing.

“No… Hinata-kun isn’t worthless… Or debris… He’s a good guy!” She protested.

“Komaeda. You cannot stop me. This is a waste of time.” He stated.

“I figured as much.” The Lucky Student sighed. “But I can get you to stop yourself.”

“How do you plan to do that.” Kamukura-kun tightened his grip on her.

“It is simple. Fifty days is a long time.” His laughter grew and grew, growing hoarse before fizzling out. He took a few breaths before continuing. “While you’re unable to do anything, and you can’t stop me… I will kill Nanami-san.”

Her chest froze, she didn’t even breathe. “Eh…?”

“If you go under, you won’t be able to stop me.” He reached into his pocket, pulling out an all too familiar gun. “Look what I found… How lucky.”

He quickly shoved her behind him, protecting her with his body. She was too stunned to say anything. “Is this what you consider hope? Threatening to murder close friends.” Kamukura-kun sounded different, his voice turning sharp.

“Of course not. This is despair. But despair is only temporary, and hope will always come back up to match it. Just like my luck, isn’t it?” He paused. “Or that karma you were talking about, Nanami-san.”

“W-Why…?” She forced out, petrified.

“Don’t worry, such hope will always make the right choice. There’s nothing-” He was cut off by the door opening again. Chiaki peaked out from behind the suited man.

The team behind the program were assembled, looking over the scene. As well as someone else. “Oh, oh! What a locale! A bad-haired creep, a gun-wielding weirdo, and the most adorablest class rep there is!”

“H-Huh, what’s going on…? Where’d he get a gun!?” Fujisaki-san wailed.

“He is threatening to murder Nanami-san if I go into the program.” Kamukura-kun stated clearly.

“What? Wait, what do you mean!?” Mitarai-kun shuddered, looking between them both.

“Hmm.” Yukizome-sensei stared into her eyes. “Oh, I’ve got a solution.” She jumped forward, latching onto Komaeda-kun’s arm.

It took her a moment to register the snap and crack, followed by a wail. The sound of the gun clattering to the floor snapped her back to reality. She let out her own scream, pulling herself back in behind Kamukura-kun.

Her teacher strolled up, stopping only short of him. “Hey, knock knock! Chiaki-chan? You home?” She hesitated a glance back out, crossing eyes. “Alrighty, now we’re even, right? I tried to murder you once, and now I saved you!”

She could only muster a nod.

“Okay, now that that’s over with, which one of these is mine?” She looked between the boxes. “I’m kinda exhausted, so I wanna get in as soon as possible.”

She tuned out the rest of the noise, looking over at her classmate, crumpled into a ball. A girl she recognised from a year ago crouched over him, pouring something into his mouth.

Chiaki tugged on Kamukura-kun’s sleeve, pulling him to the side of the room. “I… I just wanted to say… Thank you… For everything… And I’ll never forget you…”

“Nanami-san…” He pondered on his words, softening his expression. “Thank you, too. I l… I trust you won’t.” He sighed, closing his eyes. “You should get out of here before they hook us up to the program.”

She pouted, nodding. “You’re a good person… Even if you don’t think so… You are…”

He knelt down, growing eye level with her. “Nanami-san. Goodbye. I’ll be watching over you.”

“And I will too… Goodbye, I think…” She rubbed her palm into her eye, quickly stumbling out of the room. She managed to reach her dorm room before bawling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goodbye, Izuru. I'll miss you.
> 
> I hope this didn't come off as me shoehorning Nagito into being a villain/bad guy. I'm sorry if it did, but it wasn't my intention.


	21. Hole

**Ryota Mitarai**

Ryota hesitated his hand over the enter key. Fujisaki-san had set up walls of monitors and servers along the long hallway towards the Bio Lab. The command sat, prompting an interaction. He’d gotten the confirmation that everything was set to go, Kimura-san had confirmed they were all healthy for the program. Everything was safe, it all relied on him pressing the key under his finger.

He tapped it, applying a tiny amount of pressure. Not enough to trigger it. Ryota took a deep breath. This was what everything was leading up to. So he pushed down. The program began to run, lines of code flying past far too fast for him to understand. “Did… Did it work…?”

“Yeah… I think it did…” The Programmer smiled widely. “It’ll take a few minutes to process, but it should be up and running soon!”

“I can’t tell what’s going on though… How will we know?” The Pharmacist leaned over, looking at the lines of functions.

“Kamukura-kun figured we’d want to watch, so…” She spun around in her chair, facing the other monitors, turning each of them on. “These should give us an idea of what’s going on…”

“Huh?” Ryota looked at the figures, floating in the darkness. Kuwata, Yukizome-sensei, and Tsumiki-san were all hovering in front of a door, on separate monitors. While Hinata was suspended in front of a bench. “What’s happening?”

“It’s just loading in all the assets… It’ll be up soon, I promise…” She said, growing tired of answering the same question. “Ah! Ah, here we go!”

The settings began to materialize as the four took a step. They each seemed in a trance, stumbling forward. As Yukizome-sensei took her place at the front of the room, Tsumiki-san sat at her desk. His eyes darted to the Artificial Intelligences. 

They seemed at first glance to be uniform between the two simulations. But there were subtle differences. Each AI pulled from the participant’s perception, and their views were going to cause slight variations. Saionji-san was quieter and talking with Koizumi-san in the teacher’s, but she was antagonizing the Nurse in hers. The differences wouldn’t change anything too drastically, yet they were prevalent.

‘Ahem, hey everyone… I’ve got word from the school. Due to the encouragement from the parade, the school will be sending us on a trip!’ The Housekeeper echoed in both, though in her own, she seemed surprised.

‘Where? Are we going to Novoselic? I could show you all my family!’ The Princess smiled. There was a slight offset in the calendar, Tsumiki-san’s showing a few days earlier than Yukizome-sensei’s. Kuwata’s was running at the same time, having decided that before everything happened would be better for his recovery. Meanwhile, Hinata’s was an entire year before the others. 

He turned his attention to the Baseball player’s screen. ‘No, we’re going to a small island off the coast.’ Their teacher answered, in response to a similar question. His eyes were dragged to the Fashionista, happily chatting with the avatar. If she had been absent, it would have caused him to be suspicious, so she couldn’t just be excluded. She had been formed based entirely on his perception of her, so she had been reduced to a typical airheaded valley girl stereotype. After everything she’d done to Ryota and his friends, it felt surreal.

“Hey, what’d I miss?” The sound of mechanical whirring broke him from his thoughts. “Komaeda-kun is set up in the infirmary… His arm should be fine, but we gotta keep an eye on him.” Gekkogahara rolled up, peeking at the screens.

“Just the start of things… Nothing too important. It seems they’re not suspicious of anything, so that’s good.” The Programmer smiled. “They’re about to leave on the trip… Though the AI in Hinata’s hasn’t shown up yet…”

The Animator turned to the fourth monitor. He was sitting on the bench, tapping his foot. If he were to leave the area, he’d be met with an untextured void, and the illusion would be broken entirely. Even as seconds stretched to minutes, he waited patiently. Until finally, the artificial intelligence showed up.

It was identical to the Class Rep he knew, although younger, and her skin was clear. He gave a small, sullen smile. ‘Hey there… Sorry I’m late.’

‘It’s alright. I’m glad you made it…’ He quickly stiffened his expression, looking to her hands, holding an envelope. ‘What game’s in there?’

‘Oh, it’s not really a game…’ The AI opened the package, pulling out two pieces of paper. ‘These are tickets to Jabberwock Island.’

‘Is that, like, a new arcade or something? I’ve got an essay due tonight, so I don’t think I can stay out too late.’ He shook his head.

‘Hmm… There’s an arcade there? Does that count?’ She mumbled. ‘Oh, and I’ve talked to the school, so there’s nothing to worry about. You’re excused for the next two months.’

‘I-I’m- You- What!?’ He shouted. ‘What are you saying?’

‘C’mon… You always seemed super stressed about school, so a vacation would be good for you.’ It reached out and grabbed his hand.

‘Vacation!? What do you mean? Where are you going!?” He gave a concerned look.

‘You’ll see.’ He was pulled to his feet, before the screen went dark. Simultaneously, the other three blacked out.

“Huh? What happened!? Did it crash!?” Ryota scratched his head.

“No, it’s just… Loading the island.” The Programmer replied, leaning back. “They’re just synced to the same timeframe to make things easier.”

He sat back in the chair. “So… It’s working, right? No problems or anything?”

“Nope… It’s all okay.” She spun around, typing something into the main monitor. A few seconds passed before something else popped up. An identical visage to Fujisaki-san, he’d heard referred to as Alter Ego during the early stages of development.

It began to talk, listing off a diagnostic test. The words went in through one ear and out the other, Ryota not understanding any. He sighed, focussing back on the screens. Eventually, one lit up.

‘Huh…? Where am I?’ Yukizome-sensei’s was the first to load, with her blinking the sun out of her eyes.

The Nurse’s AI, along with a few of his classmates were waiting around. ‘A-A-Ah. You should d-drink s-some water…!’

Nidai-kun quietly poured some into her mouth. ‘Gahaha! You were pretty hazy this morning! You passed out on the plane!’

‘Plane? Where are we? Where are the others?’ She fretted. Ryota had scripted this section personally, as it was the most important part. If they believed in the transportation, all would be fine. Of course, planning for everything each of them could say was impossible, so it was a simple narrative for the AIs to work off of.

‘The human avian machine has taken us across the sea, to a land of mystery!’ Tanaka-kun exclaimed.

‘He means we are on that trip… Everyone else is already exploring. We should go catch up.’ Koizumi-san smiled.

By the time the Housekeeper had gotten to her feet, the next simulation loaded. They each accepted the story. Hinata was especially concerned, wondering how Nanami-san got her hands on an island for just the two of them. He eventually accepted to have a look around, clearly flustered by the fact that he'd be spending the better part of two months alone with her.

Other than that, the start had gone off without a hitch. They would have to keep an eye on how things were progressing. If any one of them were to figure out the true nature of the island, their recovery would be in jeopardy. But as things were, he could step away and get some much needed rest.

**Chiaki Nanami**

A week had passed since the start of the program. She side-eyed the Lucky Student, sitting at his desk and smiling as if nothing was wrong. His arm was wrapped in a cast, which aroused some questions, which he explained away as bad luck. Mitarai-kun had shown no intention of telling them what had really happened, nor what he said he was going to do to her. But his frequent glancing ensured her that he was as paranoid.

It was up to her to say something about him, but if she did, she wasn’t sure what could happen. They would obviously be mad at him, and it would probably lead to him being expelled. Which would also mean he couldn’t stop the program, or worse. Yet her mind always halted her before she could act on it. He had a gun. All it would take him is a second, before anyone else could stop him, and she’d be-

“Fuhaha… The Supreme Overlord of Ice has deemed you a worthy use of his time!” Tanaka-kun bellowed, standing over her desk.

“Hm…? What’s wrong?” She looked up at him for a moment, before her eyes were torn back to Komaeda-kun. “Do you need my help with something…?”

“Could it be you haven’t noticed!? Hmph, I see… Converse with me, demon to demon…” He crouched down to her eye-level, once again drawing her attention for only a moment. “You have requested us to be more perceptive to your distresses, and you appear distressed.”

“Oh… Yeah.” Chiaki bit her lip. This was her chance. Nobody would be mad at her. They couldn’t be mad at her. “Komaeda-kun said he was going to kill me.”

She forced out in a single breath. It felt so casual, despite the actual words. Was this what her life had devolved to? Had people wanting to kill her been normalized? A few of her nearby classmates halted their own conversations, looking over. “He WHAT!?” The Breeder shouted.

If she hadn’t gotten everyone’s attention before, he certainly had. “Oh, sweet! I get to beat someone up!” Owari-san grinned, cracking her knuckles and turning to the Luckster.

“Hold on! Hold on! What the fuck!?” Soda-kun clutched his beanie.

“Yeah, I’d also like to know. What the fuck?” Kuzuryu-kun moved, placing himself between her and the others. Pekoyama-san quickly followed suit, drawing her sword.

“Uh… He didn’t want the program to happen… So he said he’d kill me if they still did it… And they did it, so he might…” She answered, hiding herself the best she could from his view. Her statement was an exaggeration and vilified him, yet it was the best she could come up with.

“You piece of shit!” Saionji-san declared.

“Yes! You ‘piece of shit’!” The Princess repeated.

“You know, I always thought it was suspicious he returned the same day everything happened. Gone for over a year and he suddenly reappears before…” The Imposter didn’t finish, but implied enough.

Through all this, he continued to smile. A few seconds passed, him seemingly unaffected by the situation. “It’s shameful. For such hope to need to be sacrificed… If only I was able to stop it…”

“Shut it, creep!” The Photographer crossed her arms. “You’re not getting out of-”

She was cut off by a raspy laugh. He reached into his blazer. Everything seemed to slow. Pekoyama-san instantly tackled Kuzuryu-kun to the ground, leaving nobody between him and her. The glint of the grip reflected into her eye as he pulled it out.

He was going to kill her. Her friend want to murder her. Chiaki had to move or she’d die. She dove from her desk, but it wasn’t enough. He quickly readjusted his aim downwards. His finger tightened around the trigger. 

She waited for a few moments. The sound of the shot never rang out in the classroom.

It took her a few moments to recover, slowly peeking her head up. Owari-san already had him pinned to the ground. The gun had also fallen to the floor, the chamber spilling out. _It’s empty…?_ She didn’t dare say out loud.

Not until someone touched her back did she fully return to her senses. She flinched and quickly looked back to see Mioda-san, an apologetic frown on her face. “Hey Chiaki-chan, are you hurt?”

“I… I don’t think so…?” She panted, only then realizing she’d been holding her breath. Only a few pins and needles, as well as the unabating stinging in her foot remained.

The Musician seemed at a loss for words, continuing to pat her back. “That’s good… Ibuki doesn’t really know what to say…”

“God dammit!” A shout came from the ground as Kuzuryu-kun hauled himself to his feet. “What the fuck just happened!?”

“I guess… He ran out of bullets before coming here? Where the hell’d he even get a gun!? Those’re like… Impossible to find.” Soda-kun pouted. “What gives!?”

“I wasn’t talking to you!” He rolled his eyes. “Why the fuck did you tackle me!?”

Pekoyama-san had finished putting her sword back in its bag. “If you hadn’t moved, you would have been caught in the crossfire. If there was any.”

“That was the point!” He grumbled. “Fuck, shit… You okay?” The Yakuza turned his attention to her.

“Uh, yeah… I’m not hurt…” She looked over herself again, making sure there was nothing. “Nothing hit me…”

“I have a feeling that’s not what he’s asking…” Koizumi-san crouched, taking pictures of the weapon. “We’re here to listen if you need to talk…” She gave an obviously forced smile.

“O-Oh… Then, yeah, no I’m not… Okay.” She mumbled. “I just need a minute alone, and… I’ll be back…”

Chiaki grabbed her cane and hobbled out the door. Barely making it out of earshot, she broke down, nearly tripping over her own feet. If they got too worried, they’d probably come looking for her, so she slowly made her way down a floor. It would delay them enough at the very least.

She made her way into the washroom, stopping in front of a sink. Hesitantly, she turned on the faucet and cupped some water, before splashing it over her face. It dampened a few strands of her hair. Her mind ground to a halt as she struggled with contrasting emotions that dug inside her, like a raging fire. Betrayal, anger, relief, sorrow, all coursed through her mind.

The Gamer felt her legs give out, sending her tumbling down against the wall, racked with guilt. She couldn’t suppress the impulse to cry. “Woah, huh…?” Somebody exclaimed, walking in the room. Had they already found her? She cracked an eye half-open, met with a blue gaze. “Oh, hey, I know you… You’re her…”

“Oh… You.” Chiaki stumbled through her mind for a name, brushing some tears out of her eyes. “Asahina-san… Right? You said you go by Hina…”

“Yep, that’s right! And you’re… Nanami-chan. I got it right, I totally did!” She smiled.

“I’d be more surprised if somebody didn’t… Know who I was…” She spoke with a hint of bitterness in her voice.

“That’s fair… Anyway, you were, like, crying… What’s wrong?” The Swimmer crouched, so they were eye level. “Well, other than… Y’know…”

“Yeah, well… The whole ‘y’know’ sucks a lot…” She retorted. Even against her own intention, her voice carried a resentful tone. Someone was trying to help her and she was being awful to them for it. “Sorry… I just… It’s a lot.”

“No, no, I get it. You’ve had to worry about dying and stuff. But now that Eno- Er… She’s gone, you don’t have to do that anymore.” She shuffled over, sitting next to her on the ground.

“I wish…” She remarked. “B-But it just keeps going… It’s not going to stop… This is just what I get, I guess…”

“Okay, I’m a little lost… Um…” She tilted her head.

“I used to think my life was good… I had friends and games. But now, it’s just… Awful…” She forced herself to look over, meeting her eyes. 

“Well, if your life had a face, I’d punch it and say ‘stop being a jerk’.” She pumped a fist. “I don’t really know you, but nobody deserves to go through what you did.”

“No… No they don’t…” Chiaki wiped some snot from her nose, giving up on trying to stop her weeping. “I didn’t deserve it… I did everything right… But that… That… That good-for-nothing baddie… That… Bitch…”

“Oh yeah, and I’d beat the hell out of her too!” The Swimmer added. “Here, you want a hug?”

“Oh… Not really…” She mumbled, inching away slowly. “Nothing against you… But I’m a little… Wary around your class… Because of the ‘y’know’.”

“Huh? Okay… That’s okay. Well, uh… You’re still really upset… If it’s just about everything that’s happened, I get it but… I feel like something new has happened.” She tilted her head. “I guess, if you don’t wanna talk to me, I get it… But…”

“Well… Someone I thought was my friend… Has just made everything worse…” She kept her words vague, still processing it herself.

“Hm, well… At least your friends are just regular jerks, and not evil like mine.” She glowered. “What did they say?”

“Well, a week ago he said he was going to shoot me. And, like, three minutes ago he did… Or, at least tried.” She mumbled.

“What!? Are you hurt!? Is that why you’re sitting!?” She spun around, looking over her for a wound.

“No, that’s not why I’m sitting… And I wasn’t shot… Apparently he was out of ammo.” She stated, taking a moment to go over the facts.

“Wait, so you almost… You almost just died!?” Hina-san stumbled over her words.

“I guess…? I’m not dead, so…” She scratched at a scar on her thigh.

“Why do you sound so casual!? If you need to talk to someone, I can call Gekkogahara-chan. She helped me after… Maizono-chan… Wait, no, this is about you, not me. What do you need?”

“Not her… I… I don’t know how I… It’s like if I don’t almost die once a week, the universe will get bored… It’s all like ‘Oh, Chiaki hasn’t suffered enough today, let’s ruin her life some more.’” She took a breath. “Somehow my mind has just… Normalized this… And now I’m whining about it on the floor of a washroom to a practical stranger…”

“I don’t mind! Complain, rant, do whatever makes you feel better!” She reached out and grabbed her hand. “I’m here for you.”

“Yeah, I got it… I should probably get going, though… They’ll start to get worried if I’m out too long…” She pouted, grabbing her cane.

“Huh? Wait! Hold on, I still gotta say something!” The Swimmer protested.

“Hm…?” Chiaki caught herself before getting up. “What…?”

“Ah, well, um… I’m not really sure. But I can’t just let you leave! No, not happening.” She tapped her forehead. “I got it… We could meet and do some exercises and stuff. Whenever I’m down, I do some swimming or laps and feel better. So you should do it with me!”

“I’m not really… In any condition to swim.” She wiggled her cane. “And running would just be worse.”

“Oh, yeah. I was gonna ask about that. Did you hurt your leg or something?” She asked.

“Right, you… You don’t know what happened during the ‘y’know’…” Chiaki mumbled. “I got… Hurt really bad…”

“Oh… Oh okay… I thought, just cuz it’s been a month and all… You’d have been okay by now.” The Swimmer gave her a look, mixed between sympathy and curiosity.

“Yeah… Really bad… It was, uh… It’s…” She struggled to get the right words out. “Do you… Do you just want to see it?”

“What!? No!” She shouted. “Okay, well, yeah… But I don’t want to… Um, only if you’re, like… Okay with it, I guess.”

“Yeah…” Chiaki took a deep breath, slipping her shoe off. Her own friends hadn’t even seen the majority of her wounds, yet here she was, showing them to, at best, an acquaintance. She slid down her sock, revealing slashes of varying sizes. After a particularly drawn out final strip, she slipped it over the ball of her foot and pulled it off.

“Wh-Huh!?” She gagged, recoiling. Upon first glance, it appeared her foot had a gaping hole, taking up half the width, although only partially true. A thin, translucent stretch of repairing skin held it together, with some globby pink scabbing. Some torn veins and nerve-ends, as well as shards of shattered bone were visible through it, as was the other end of the room. A dull red pulsed as her heart pumped, speeding up as she was reminded of the pain she’d felt. Hina-san hesitantly opened her eyes after a few moments. “How? What? God!”

“Yep… I screwed up and was caught in a spike trap…” Chiaki grit her teeth, speaking as if she’d only taken a hit in a game.

“Hguh…?” Emotions raced across her face, before settling on horror. “How… How can you say it like that!?”

“Well how else am I supposed to say it!?” She argued. “Either I say it like that, or I say exactly what happened. And that’d only make it hurt more!” The flash of anger faded as fast as it came. “Sorry… Do you… Have anything else?”

“S-Sorry… How do you even… Walk like that?” She shivered, staring as if in a trance.

“Well, I… I don’t.” The Gamer gestured down to her cane. “I can’t. And if I try, well… It…” She was about to say it ‘hurts like hell’, but it felt too tame. “It’s probably worse than anything you’ll feel… Ever.”

“Mhm… Yeah, I think so…” The Swimmer finally pulled her eyes away. “Maybe you should… Have some protein. Sakura-chan said that helped when she got hurt.”

“I… Think I’ll pass.” Chiaki sighed, sliding her sock back on, tugging it up to her thigh. “I’ve stayed too long anyway.” She adjusted her toes to a comfortable position with her fingers, unable to do so regularly, before slipping on her shoe.

“Okay… Um…” She floundered around for words. Eventually, she sighed and jumped onto her, pulling her into a hug. “I’m, like, super sorry for all this!”

“Uh, I… Thank you…” She bit her lip. “I just gotta keep on… Living. Or what was this all for, right?”

“Y-Yeah! Um… Okay, you can go… Wait, what about the guy who shot you? Or tried to. Whatever.” She frowned.

“Ah, I think my friends… Will have taken care of him by now.” Chiaki pulled herself upright, clutching her cane harder than usual. “Thanks…” She quickly shuffled out, avoiding making things more awkward.

The stairs felt more daunting than usual, as she forced her way up them. Once at the top, she stuck to the hallway’s middle. An irrational fear struck her, a hidden buzzsaw could be waiting for her to get too close, the walls ready to betray her. They seemed to close in as she made her way through. She shrunk her form, pulling her arms in close. Her pace quickened, hurting her foot as she stepped. She could feel her vision fading away, until it went dark.

“Hey! Nanami-san!” A shout broke her stupor, followed by someone shaking her.. 

“Huh…?” She looked up. A gap spread across her memory, from then, to where she was now. Chiaki was sprawled out, face down, in the middle of the hallway. “Where am I…?”

“Well, you were gone for a while… So Tanaka-kun and I came to look for you.” The Princess helped her to her feet. “I know you wanted some time alone, but we got a little worried. When I saw you were lying on the ground, I could not help myself but shout.”

“Indeed. Your form lying on the ground… Was able to disturb even my heightened senses.” He frowned.

“Yeah… Sorry…” She pushed herself over, sitting up. “Agh… I think I hit my head. When I fell.”

“You fell? Are you okay?” Sonia-san crouched down, feeling her forehead.

“I… I don’t think so…” She groaned, rotating her shoulder. “Like, I’m not hurt… But…”

“Hmph… I understand.” The Breeder squatted on her other side. “But as I said, we are willing to hear you out.”

“I got that… Uh, well… You’re… You should just go…” Chiaki recoiled from their touch.

“Nanami-san? What is wrong?” She asked, pulling her hand away.

“Well… You’re basically in danger just by being around me… Aren’t you?” She looked up at both of them. “So you shouldn’t be around me.”

“Oh… I do not mind. Because you need our help.” The Blonde grabbed her hand.

“Heh… Fear is just a mortal concept. Danger is not enough to dissuade me.” He added.

“No… I’m serious…!” She scooted backwards, out of their reach. “It’s only a matter of time before someone else tries to hurt me… And you guys could get seriously hurt too… So just stay away. And then you can be safe. And I won’t need to worry about you.”

“Nanami-san. I will not just leave you… Like I said, you need help. So let us help you.” She crawled right after her.

“Stop… Stop.” She fumbled, her weak protest falling apart. “If not for me, you’d just be happy and alright. You wouldn’t need to worry. So… Just let me go… I’m the reason everything sucks, anyway. So just get mad at me and leave…”

“I don’t hate you for it, Nanami. I know how it is… Being the king of hell doesn’t come without it’s qualms…” Tanaka-kun let out a sigh.

“Every king or queen will someday lose their crown…” Sonia-san added. “It is what I have been told since I was old enough to understand. It was meant to make me ‘humble’ and a ‘good ruler’. But was always just a total bummer.”

“I don’t get it…” She apprehensively let her take her hand. “Why are you… Saying that.”

“I’d rather be happy, spending time with you than not. Life should be spent the best you can, and I say it’s all together.” She frowned. “You’ve fought so much to stay with us… So I’ll fight for the same thing.”

“The Supreme Overlord of Ice is not one for powerful wording, so he relinquishes this to the Dark Queen.” He added. “Though he does agree.”

“You… You really…?” She fumbled around for any words. “Thank you… You’re… Good friends…”

“Here… You should get off the floor.” Sonia-san smiled. Together, they helped her up.

“Thanks… Uh… So… Where… Is he?” She used them as support as she walked, not trusting her own foot.

“Nidai-kun and Owari-san have taken him to the security. I presume he’s going to be expelled, or worse.” She spoke, no remorse in her voice. “Meanwhile, my stalker has ‘confiscated’ the weapon. He made a big deal about it.”

“Okay…” A mix of views swelled within her. After a few moments, she spoke. “Good… I’m not in the mood.” Eventually, they reached the stairs. “I’m a little hungry… It’s probably around lunch now, right?”

“If you desire, I shall deliver the news of your wellbeing to the mortals. You two can continue to the Hall of Dining.” He smirked and departed.

“Oh… I know! I could get you some Novoselecian Chocolate. It’s our largest export!” Her eyes lit up.

“I like chocolate…” She smiled. “Though that’s not much of… Food. Plus it’ll take a while to get here, won’t it?”

“Then we shall cook a banquet! Hanamura-kun offered to show me his skills many times, so he must have known I possessed the cooking abilities.” The Princess pumped her fist.

* * *

Time passed, slowly, achingly. Chiaki still had days where she wasn’t even able to muster the strength to get out of bed. Sometimes lasting up to a week. But her friends were always there to support her. Some releases that she had been waiting for, that had slipped her mind, finally came out. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood quickly became one of her favourites, and a highlight of the year.

The last of the Autumn leaves fell away, replaced by snow covered branches. As November turned to December. Eventually, they set up a countdown until the end of the Neo World Program in their classroom. It helped her get up in the morning, at the very least to check it.

It wasn’t until a few days before that they noticed. By coincidence, or on purpose, the program would finish on Christmas Day. Even Mitarai-kun was surprised by the discovery.

Their Eve party was early in the day, as they were all eager to wake up in time. Chiaki couldn’t get herself to sleep. Worry, that the program would fail and it would be a waste of time. Anxiety, that they’d all blame her. Hinata-kun worst of all. Horror, that she’d basically brainwashed them all over again.

_They were scheduled to wake up at midnight, but they would need some time to come to terms with everything._ That was what Mitarai-kun had said. They agreed to meet up at nine, if everything went well. 

Chiaki tossed and turned, fiddling with a copy of Pokemon Black. It had eluded her, having come out the same day everything happened. Castelia City’s street was enveloped by darkness as the night cycle set in. Midnight had come.

They would have just woken up. She pulled herself up, unable to just lie down. Her struggle came to a head, and she lunged herself at the door. She needed to be there for them. And they would need her.


	22. Not Today

**Hajime Hinata**

His eyes shot open. He definitely wasn’t where he had fallen asleep. Hajime retraced his memories. The last thing he’d done was say goodnight to Nanami, before he’d left for bed. It was their last day on the island, and supposedly a plane was going to pick them up in the morning.

Had he slept in? In that case, he’d probably be on the plane by now. It was dark, but he was able to tell he wasn’t in the air. So could they have already made it back? It would explain the cold, as he’d spent two months on a tropical island. _Dammit._ He’d wanted to take a final tour with her before they left. The faint buzz of something mechanical broke his thoughts. He tried to sit up.

Something was holding him down. The slight anxiety in the back of his head grew louder. A shout of a need to think harder. An object was on his face. He could barely make out the silhouette of an oxygen mask. Further, something was attached to his head, like a helmet. The doubt was screaming. His face contorted as he tried to struggle out of his bindings.

And it all hit him. Everything at once. All of it.

It was too much information at once. He couldn’t understand. Figments of conversations he’d never had. Illusions of sights he’d never seen. His mind’s first reaction was to deny it all. There was no time for the panic to set in. It was already there.

Hajime needed to be logical, or he’d not understand anything. The first thing he’d remembered, a name, Kamukura. A project? Right, he had been going through that. He was going to have talent. So was that his problem? Did he have a talent now? He didn’t feel any different. Well, no, he felt very different, but not in the right ways.

He followed his memories chronologically, as far as they would take him. They’d given him a talent. But then they’d put him back under. And when he’d awakened, he had more. He remembered his objections, although by then, things were getting foggy. Until he’d…

It struck him. He’d been erased. Destroyed. Deleted. Every trace of him was obliterated.

Then how could he remember that? The memories stopped being his, and turned to someone else’s. An enigma of a being. Something had taken his body. He, no… It. It began to undergo several tests. They put it through several tests. Each it’d performed perfectly. In scenarios where Hajime would have been killed a hundred times over, it treated them as if it was a game.

Game? The word sent a course of pain through his mind. Something was wrong. After it showed no intention to do anything, they’d abandoned it. An indeterminable amount of time passed before anything memorable happened.

Two girls showed up.

The memory caused him to tense up, an unending ball of hatred soaring. He’d recognised one of them, she was famous. Even if he’d never been into fashion, he’d heard talk of her. Though he couldn’t understand why he’d hated her.

Soon, it was made obvious. If he wasn’t wearing a mask, he’d have vomited. She forced an entire group of kids, ultimates his age, to slaughter each other. Even It had ended up killing someone. So did that mean he’d killed someone?

And she had framed It for the murders. A ‘parade’ had started. A few days passed, until the great anxiety and hatred and horror he’d felt was truly understood. 

The rainy day started as any other, with Enoshima’s endless rambling. He was vaguely aware of the members of Nanami’s class, but she’d never spared a moment to talk about her teacher. She explained how her plan was to torture the teacher to death, sending her students spiralling into despair.

That was, until she showed up. Along with a white haired boy, somehow they’d traversed their way down. The boy pulled a gun. Hajime found himself internally rooting for him to end her before she could act on it. Though as if he already knew the outcome, it never happened.

It came out, disarmed, and shot him. Nanami shouted, crouching over her friend. He was relieved that It hadn’t killed him, yet her face hurt even more. He’d been gone for over a year, so of course an expression of hopeful recognition spread.

It denied knowing her, and she ran out. Enoshima soon announced her change of plans.

His heart began to pound out of his chest. It sat idly by, near the exit of the maze. By then, he couldn’t stop himself from recounting his memories, as much as he wanted to stop. An unfocused blur of screaming and blood dug into his ears as he tried to force it to act.

Hajime pulled against the restraints holding him down. Nothing seemed to budge. _Think. Think._ He stuck his tongue out, using it to nudge his mask off.

It must have detected something was wrong, as an alarm sounded. The lid of his tomb hissed open, letting a wave of fresh air in. He tugged away again, this time the cuffs flicking open. His mind registered how warm the room outside was. Three other pods sat about, the sound of a struggle emanating from each. He considered opening them, but decided against it. Something much more important was on his mind.

Hajime slid off his uniform jacket, setting it on a table. The double door, marked with the word ‘raw’, blocked him from leaving. He gave it a tug, half expecting to be locked. It gave no resistance, springing open almost immediately.

On the opposite end of the hallway, she stood. Even from the distance, he could tell something was different. She was clutching a cane, and though obscured by dim lighting, her face was older and damaged.

He stood idly for a few moments. Nanami was here. Alive. He hadn’t killed her, something he already knew, but couldn’t help himself but worry. She seemed as stunned, hesitant to accept it.

Hajime broke out into a sprint, tearing along the long hallway.

**Chiaki Nanami**

It was really him. The first thing that she noticed was his eyes, both a familiar olive shade. His hesitance, the expression, his tears. All the signs pointed to that conclusion. So she took it. Hinata-kun was standing opposite from her.

Until he broke out running. It was probably a matter of seconds until he reached her.

The time didn’t matter, as he barreled into her. His arms wrapped around her, holding her tight. She could feel her shoulder grow damp as he buried his face into it. His legs gave out, pulling them both to their knees.

He sniveled into her for a while, her awkwardly returning the hug. The touch helped her to fully accept everything. He was here, he was him. She pulled him in closer, even tighter.

After a few minutes, they loosened their grip, pulling away only enough to see the other’s face. He was similar to Kamukura-kun, though softer. Almost identical to how she remembered. Thought without his jacket on. She hadn’t expected his shirt to have short sleeves, which exposed his built arms. But that wasn’t important. Not right now.

“Hinata-kun… You… You’re Hinata-kun… You’re really back…” She said, more a statement, rather than a question.

He responded with a nod, not opening his mouth.

“I’ll save… Getting mad at you for later…” She took a quick breath. “Let’s just… Be happy for a moment…”

Hinata-kun slowly raised his hand, cupping her cheek. She quickly settled into his grip. “Nanami… I…” He ran his thumb gently across a scar under her eye. “I’m… I’m so sorry… You-”

“No… Not right now. Not today… That can… Be later too… Let’s just have each other now.” She cut him off, not wanting him to finish that thought.

He silently nodded, pulling her back in. Time flew past in another drawn out embrace. Her face buried into his shoulder, as was his with hers.

“I… I missed you… Hinata-kun…” It felt satisfying, saying his name. “I missed you a lot…”

Her friend withdrew, staring into her eyes. “Tell me… Are you… Okay…?” He stumbled over his words. “Well, obviously not, but… We can talk about the rest later, but… Please… Tell me.”

She took a moment, considering what to say. “No, but… Right now, it doesn’t matter… This is a checkpoint before the rest of the level.”

“Alright…” He sighed. “Are we just going to… Hug forever…? I should… Probably call my parents or something.”

“I’d like to…” She said offhandedly. “And, I’m not sure you’d want to call your parents. I guess you remember why…”

“It’s a little… Hazy. But, I’ll take your word for it…” He got up, sitting down in a chair.

Chiaki realized she should probably get up too. Her cane had rolled away somewhere, so she used a nearby desk to hoist herself up. She glanced around, letting out a sigh. “Um, Hinata-kun… Do you mind if… I sit? That’s the only chair…”

He gave her a puzzled look, tilting his head. “Uh, yeah… Sure.” After a few seconds, he stood up, leaning against the opposite wall. She hopped over, not putting pressure on her hurt foot. He must have noticed, as his face turned to concern. “Hey… What’s wrong?”

“Oh… I thought… Since you knew what happened…” She yawned. “Yeah, uh, I’m pretty screwed up…”

“Huh? Screwed up how?” He contorted his face. “Ah, sorry… I… I’m still confused… It’s from… That, right?”

She could only assume what he was implying. “Yeah… Probably… Let’s not think about it though.”

He bit his lip. “O-Okay… Sorry…”

“You… You don’t need to apologize so much…” She rubbed her eyes. “It’s not your fault…”

“Let’s just… Put that in the ‘talk later’ pile too…” He sighed. “Hey Nanami… What time is it? You look exhausted.”

“Oh… You were supposed to wake up at midnight… So probably a bit after that… We were hugging for a while…” She mumbled. “And… I’ve had trouble sleeping… The last few days.”

“Dammit… You should probably… Go to bed.” He rubbed his forehead. “I might too…”

“Well… There’s also… The others.” Chiaki spoke, trying to hide her unease. She was relieved he was the first one awake. It would probably be different if it were Tsumiki-san or Yukizome-sensei. “Well… If it’s past midnight, I guess… Merry Christmas, Hinata-kun.”

“Christmas? It’s the middle of the summer.” He furrowed his brow. “Right, crap… Sorry… I’m a little… Off. I don’t think… I got you a present.”

The first sentence that popped into her mind felt cheesy, yet she said it anyway. “You’re a good gift. Having you back…” She smiled. _Maybe this is_ his _present to me too?_ She didn’t say, deciding Kamukura-kun would have to be part of the ‘talk later’ stuff.

“Thanks. I’m… Yeah, it’s a pretty good gift to be me again… And to have you back…” He said, scratching the back of his head.

She tapped her foot. “So… Um… Do you wanna play a game… While we wait?”

“I should have seen that coming…” He rolled his eyes. “Yes. God, yes… I really just need to… Not think for a while.”

Chiaki smiled and zipped open her bag. She pulled out her DS. “Here… You can use mine. We’ll find yours soon… That’s a high priority questline.”

“Yeah… Right… It might be in my room. I could go check.” He suggested, refusing to take hers.

“No… Don’t go.” She quickly said. “Please. Stay.”

“Okay, okay.” He threw his arms up. “But… You play. You’re the Ultimate Gamer, anyway.”

“Hmph.” She pouted. “Fine. But… You’re gonna play soon.”

He nodded. “Let’s go.”

She powered it on, aware of how Hinata-kun was leaning over her shoulder. Her game resumed, ready to challenge Burgh’s gym. She could tell it was a Bug-Type gym, and charged in with her overleveled Samurott. Barely encountering the first gym trainer, something drew her attention.

The door was open again, illuminating the rather dark hallway. Three figures stood, silhouetted by the light. Each seemed hesitant to approach. “Nanami-san…?” The one in the center slowly began to step forward.

Chiaki’s heart began to beat faster. “You’re okay… Right? You’re normal?” She sat, steady in her chair. Hinata-kun grabbed her wrist, making his way in front of her.

“Yes! Yes. I’m not… I’m not going to hurt you.” The voice of her teacher carried down the hallway.

The Nurse followed close behind, while the third stayed back. “I-I-I’m sorry!” She wailed.

All three had tears streaming down their faces. “I… I don’t… Know what to say… I don’t know how I can possibly… Say how sorry I am.” She stumbled forward, stopping a few metres short of them. “I’m so… So sorry…”

“D-Don’t… Not right now…” Chiaki pushed her chair slightly backwards.

“P-Please forgive me!” Tsumiki-san cried. “That w-wasn’t m-me!” She continued past the Housekeeper.

“Please… Not now.” She said, more forcefully.

“Nanami-san! I-I’m sorry!” She pushed forward, throwing herself onto Chiaki.

Her tired eyes widened. She froze. Time froze. Every rational part of her brain was telling her she was fine. She wasn’t going to hurt her. But the rationality was quickly being drowned out by the constant inner shouting. _This is bad. This needs to stop._ Hinata-kun was back to normal, so she should be too. Yet the fear became overwhelming. Last time she’d been this close, it was-

Chiaki felt her arms extend, her hands making contact with The Nurse’s shoulders. The force propelled the chair to roll backwards, sending them both apart. Tsumiki-san landed on her back, Yukizome-sensei quickly rushing to her side. Hinata-kun grabbed the chair before it could slam against the wall. The redhead was looking over, but stayed back.

A silence fell over them, other than a few quiet sobs from the newcomers. After a few seconds, The Nurse let out a wail, storming out on her artificial foot. At the sight, pangs of unending guilt flew through her.

Nobody made a move to go after her. “Ah, um… Nanami-san…?” Her Teacher kept her distance. “I… I can’t even… Y-You… I never wanted…”

“I-It’s okay… Just… Not right now, okay? The others will be here… In a few hours. They’ll probably be better with you… But right now, let’s just… Enjoy you being back. Okay?” Chiaki sighed.

“Yeah. Okay.” She crossed her arms, glancing off in the direction that Tsumiki-san ran off. “Do you… Want a hug, or is that… Not on the table.”

“No… Not right now. I…” She fished around for the words. “I don’t think I’m ready for that.”

“Okay… A-Are you okay? You…” Chiaki could feel her gaze, digging into a scar. “I’m… I can’t…”

“Yeah, I… Sorry, I’m… Just really tired.” Her breath had begun to slow, and her blinks were becoming longer. “I might… Fall asleep.” She yawned. “I’m not really supposed to be here right now. I should go before anyone finds me.”

“Oh…? I guess…” She sighed.

“Hey, Nanami.” Hinata-kun grabbed her attention. “You don’t look like you can walk. And you might pass out before you get back.”

“No… I’m alright.” She rubbed her eyes. “Maybe…”

He sighed. Whatever happened after, she wouldn’t know. Her consciousness slipped, only regaining it once back in her bed.

**Juzo Sakakura**

Juzo tore himself out of his bed. Today was the day. He threw on a jacket and flew out his door. His journey didn’t take long, a full sprint sending him up the stairs quickly. Once at the top, he stopped to catch his breath. A few members of the team turned their attention to him. “Sakakura-san…? How are you?” Kimura was standing idly.

“Good. Where is she? Did it work?” He spared no time waiting for an answer.

“Oh, uh…” Fujisaki was packing up several computer systems. “Gekkogahara-san is just going through… Some tests. Though Yukizome-sensei’s done. That’s who you’re asking about, right?” Juzo nodded. “Okay… I saw her going into the garden. She’s… A little upset, but… Everything went well.”

He was about to take off, before his morals got the better of him. “What about the others?”

“Kuwata-kun is… Answering questions right now. Kamu- Er, Hinata…-kun… Is in the garden too. Tsumiki-san is in one of the classrooms. Gekkogahara-san hasn’t gotten to her yet.” She nodded. “Y-You should… Get going. Go help her.”

Juzo didn’t waste any more time. Passing through the doorway, he stepped into the garden. The two were sitting next to each other, against the chicken coop. It took a few more steps for them to notice.

The Reserve Course Student recoiled slightly, his expression turning angry. Though the Housekeeper’s eyes widened, a look of guilt plastered on her face. It was up to him to say something.

“Hey…” He stumbled past the exotic-looking fauna.

“Ah… Hey…” She repeated. “I’m… Really sorry.”

“God, that… Feels really fucking good to hear.” He sat opposite them. “Not that I blame you… But… Yeah.”

“I get it… I was awful to you and you just put up with me for… Months.” She sighed. Hinata rolled his eyes, quickly storming out.

“That’s not… Was I interrupting something? Do you… Need some time?” He asked, apprehensively.

“No, no… We were just… Talking.” She spared the details, yet her tone said enough.

“Okay, I… I just wanted to check in on you. I could go.” He said, making no motion to move.

“Can you stay? I need someone to talk to… Who isn’t a rabbit, y’know. Or Hinata-kun.” She rested her face on her palm.

“Well… In that case, let’s get the big one out of the way.” He held his tongue for a moment. “We should… Talk about him… Munakata…”

“Y-Yeah… I… I don’t know how… I should be broken up… And sad and… but, I’m not…?” She looked distressed. “I… I killed him… And I’m not even able to force myself… To be sad.”

“What? You… You’re not?” Juzo raised an eyebrow. “Seriously, not at all…?”

“I’m not. I should be, and I know I should be. And I want to be.” She crossed her arms. “And it’s not like I can’t feel… Like, I’m sad about what I did to you, and Nanami-san. So what’s wrong with me?”

“Listen, Munakata… He wouldn’t want you to be. You got lucky. If you’re not sad, that’s probably a good thing.” He shrugged.

“I mean, on paper, it does. But… But that’s not… It’s not…” She stumbled over her words. “I loved him, and… And I can’t even… Feel remorse.”

“I get it. I really, really get it.” Juzo sighed, reaching out his hand. “But he died, saving Nanami. Which probably ended up saving you. He always wanted to change the world, right? Well, I think you both being alive, and being you is enough. So I’m sure, if he could see you now, he wouldn’t want you to just be in despair. You’re as good a friend to me as he was, so… So I can’t hate you. Okay?”

She grabbed it. “He was the… The only one who even had a chance to fix Hope’s Peak… But, after all this, there’s no fixing it.”

“So much for ‘guaranteed for success’.” He remarked with a sigh. “Though I guess that slogan was worthless long before it all.”

“So… You’re shutting the school down? A memory of that is up here… Somewhere.” She knocked her fist against her head. “Good.”

“Yeah. I’m not sure if anyone even works here anymore. All the good ones were fired by the Steering Committee, and all the shitty ones quit once I was put in charge.” He rolled his eyes.

“Well, I know at least two people still here.” She tightened her grip around his hand, a shaky smile on her face. “What about Class 78, though? My class is graduating this year, but… What’ll happen with them?”

“Hell if I know. I’m terrible at this job. They’ll probably just go back to their old schools… Or drop out. I wouldn’t blame ‘em.” Juzo sighed.

“Well… You and I on top of… The world, I guess. We’re the ones to topple it down.” She laughed. “Quite literally, in our case.”

“You’re cheerier than I remember.” He commented. “Though, I might just be used to you being glum.”

“I’m saving it for when the kids come.” She patted down some of her hair. “They’re the ones who really need an apology… Nanami-san… And everyone else.”

“Shit, right…” With everything, he’d forgotten how it all played out. “That… I’m sure they’ll… Not be mad at you.”

“What about her, then? She’s… She’s probably terrified of me… No, I know she is…” Yukizome whimpered. “And… And I’m so selfish…”

“Selfish? How?” He cocked his head.

“B-Because I feel like… Like I should be forgiven… But I know I shouldn’t…” She groaned. “I’m so terrible… I’m a murderer and a torturer… And I feel bad, but not as bad as I should?”

“Listen, I can’t speak for her, but… I think she’ll understand. You just need to talk to her.” He sighed. “I don’t know what I’m saying, you know her better than I do… It’s something only the two of you can figure out. But I… I hope you’ll be okay.”

“Thank you, Sakakura-kun…” She smiled. “For helping me… With everything.”

“I’m in your corner, if you need anything. You’re a good friend…” He nodded back. “Your kids will be here in an hour, you got this.”

“You’re a real hero, you know that? You did good.” She released his hand. “And, uh… One last thing?”

“Hm? What is it?” He rested his hand in his palm.

“Did… Did you make me drink?” She asked.

“Huh? Really?” He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, what if I did?”

“I take back what I said, you’re awful…” She crossed her arms. “What kinda example am I setting for the kids if I’m drunk!? Am I gonna end up like Kizakura-kun!? Am I an alcoholic now?”

“I doubt it.” He sulked.

“And what were you doing with that much beer in your fridge! That’s terrible too!” She droned on.

“I’m leaving now. Goodbye.” He pulled himself up. “Get ready, okay? I believe in you.”

**Chiaki Nanami**

The mood at the table was lively. Everyone was excited, even Mitarai-kun. The only one who seemed to share Chiaki’s mood was Saionji-san, who was still excited to see their teacher. She, on the other hand, felt an emptiness, slowly growing within her.

Though likely the opposite for the others, time flew past for her. As if to add insult to her fear, she heard someone say her name. “Nanami-san? Should we leave a few minutes early? So that we’re on time.”

“Yeah. Okay.” She looked over at them. “What time… Is it now?”

The Imposter looked over at the clock with a puzzled expression. “We have less than ten minutes. Should we get going now, then?”

She glanced down at her untouched food. “Yeah… Okay.”

“Is something wrong?” Koizumi-san asked, tilting her head.

“No. No, I’m alright.” She lied. “Just tired, I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Are you sure?” Pekoyama-san asked. “I don’t mean to doubt you, but is that everything?”

“Yeah. Yes. It is. I’m okay.” She stood, imbalanced by her heavy bag, stuffed with as many games as she could fit.

“I’m not gonna push it, but…” Kuzuryu-kun paused. “Listen, it’s, uh… It’s alright if you don’t want to go.” He helped her steady herself. “I get it.”

“No. No, I’m going.” She stated. “Today’s not about me… Or what happened. Today’s a happy day. Okay?”

“Jeez, if you don’t wanna go, you don’t hafta. It’s no big deal.” Owari-san cracked her neck.

“I’m going.” She repeated, a harsher tone in her voice. “Plus, even if I don’t go, it’s not like I’m not gonna see them. It’d just be delaying the inevitable. So let’s go.”

“Alright… But if you need to leave, It is fine. We get it.” Sonia-san grinned.

“Here we go!” Nidai-kun shouted. “Haaah!” He grabbed Chiaki, holding her in an arm throne.

“Huh!? What…?” She gripped his jacket, afraid of falling off.

“You can hardly walk as is. No way I’m letting you with that much shit on your back!” He laughed, hurting her ears.

“I can walk! Just…” She pouted. A few excited conversations surrounded her as they departed, climbing the stairs. Her chest felt heavier with each floor, until they eventually reached the top.

Gekkogahara-san waved as she explained how they had all recovered, though Chiaki barely listened. She locked eyes with Hinata-kun, sulking further down the hall. He gave her an unenthusiastic thumbs-up. She returned a smile with the same energy.

Before she knew it, they were moving again. The group headed into the second classroom, as Class 78 was already in the first. Sitting despondent, Yukizome-sensei and Tsumiki-san looked over. “Wahoo!” A shout came.

In an instant, she’d been set down at a desk. Everyone had quickly mobbed the two, conversations starting and stopping faster than she could follow. Chiaki quietly whimpered, pulling out a handheld. She fished around in her bag, grabbing a few cartridges. After thumbing through them, putting back the ones for a different system, she placed one in and mindlessly tapped away.

Snippets of conversations caught her attention. Soda-kun giddily offering Tsumiki-san a new foot, which would sound weird without context. The Imposter, and surprisingly Mitarai-kun, both reuniting with the Nurse. Yukizome-sensei asking about Komaeda-kun, to an awkward silence. Chiaki could feel the slight glances in her direction, before Tanaka-kun finally explained it. It felt like they expected her to say something, but she kept her mouth sealed and her eyes on the screen. Eventually, the talking started back up. Their constant peeking grew more painful with each look.

Her heart was beating rapidly, contrasting her slow methodical breaths. “Hey, Chiaki-chan, you remember that?!” Mioda-san clapped her shoulder, dragging her into a conversation. As if she was a primed bomb, she went off. Whether it be the sudden springing of the question or the pressure on an old would, she flinched away, almost knocking herself out of her chair.

She began to breathe faster, choking on the air. “Y-Yeah? Huh? No.”

“Woah, you okay?” Soda-kun scratched his chin.

Chiaki responded with several quick shakes of her head, nauseating herself. “Fucking dammit…” Kuzuryu-kun groaned.

“U-Um… What’s w-wrong? A-are you feeling s-sick!?” The Nurse stuttered.

She glanced over for only a moment before staring back down at her game. Her hands were shaking over the controls. She tried to ignore it and keep playing, but quickly messed up. “Dang…”

“What!? Don’t just say that! What’s wrong!?” The Mechanic fretted.

Chiaki stayed silent, trying to start a new round, only for her to miss the input. “Nanami-san? Please… Please talk to us.” The Teacher leaned over on the desk opposite her.

The voice seized her attention, her eyes flicking up to meet hers. “Sorry, sorry… Please don’t…”

“Hey. C’mon, you gotta. It’s no good to bottle it all up.” Yukizome-san continued. She reached out, placing her hand on Chiaki’s.

“Ah…!” She snapped her hand away involuntarily. “Wh-What?”

“Okay, I got it.” The Housekeeper sighed, keeping her hand to herself. “But we can’t just… Not talk.”

“Today’s supposed… To be a happy day. Supposed to be about you two…” She spoke in broken sentences. “Not about me…”

“Alright… But we need to. I need to. So please, can we talk?”

“J-Just say what you want… And then go have fun with everyone.” Chiaki kept her gaze focused on her, but not meeting her eyes.

“Oh, well… Sure…” She sighed. “I figure… Saying ‘no hard feelings’ won’t cut it… But, for what it’s worth… I’m really, really sorry. Th-Though… I probably don’t deserve it… I hope you forgive me.”

“No. You’re wrong… You deserve to be forgiven… I’m just an idiot who can’t…” She got caught on her words for a moment. “Who can’t do it. If anyone here doesn’t deserve something… I don’t deserve to be… To be alive here right now.”

A chorus of angry objections quickly rang out. After a minute of people shouting over each other, it died down. “Like fuck you don’t! The last fuckin person in the world who deserves to die like that is you!” The Yakuza roared.

“I’m not saying that… I just… I’m so lucky to even have a chance to still be with you all…” She held back tears, hoping nobody had noticed her change in expression. “And what’s wrong with me!? I’m ruining this for everyone! I’m so terrible… I don’t deserve it…”

“Alright, fuck this.” He groaned, grabbing her hand. “Koizumi, Peko, help me with this.”

Together they ushered her out of the room, like she was one of those rowdy people at a game’s release. She was too numb to resist, barely able to mumble her disapproval. In a blur, they’d arrived at the Dojo, Chiaki set leaning against one of the artificial Sakura trees. In this type of situation, she’d usually go to Kamukura-kun, but that wasn’t an option anymore. Maybe Hinata-kun could help, but he was busy dealing with own problems, she didn’t need to lump hers on.

“Okay, Nanami. What the hell?” Kuzuryu-kun crossed his arms.

“I… I don’t know…” She sighed, trying to collect herself. “You should… Probably go back. I’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, no way.” The Photographer shook her head. “And before you say it, you’re not going back either.”

“Nanami, you clearly aren’t comfortable with them… Not yet. It is understandable” Pekoyama-san frowned. “You shouldn’t force yourself.”

“I told you I’m fine. Stop treating me like… Like I can’t…” She stopped herself.

“Listen, Chiaki-chan, we’re not gonna let you hurt yourself.” Koizumi-san spoke cautiously. “You can’t keep downplaying everything.”

“Stop…” She tilted her head down, hiding her face. “It’s…”

“Talk to us. Please.” The Swordswoman stood idly. “You’re safe here.”

“You… You keep…” Chiaki pouted, tucking her legs into her chest. “You keep treating me like… Like a kid. It’s patronising… I think.”

A few seconds passed. “Huh?”

“You barely let me go anywhere alone without sending someone with me… Like an escort mission. I’m not even allowed to walk on my own anymore! You don’t even let me make any decisions about what I can do… Well, I know I screwed up… That day, so I probably haven’t earned that perk…” She shook. “But right now you’re acting like angry parents, probably. And I’m older than most of you, anyway…”

“Jesus, we’re… We’re tired of people trying to fucking murder you, alright?” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “And we’re not gonna stop. Okay? We’re just scared for you.”

“You don’t need to be scared for me… I can be scared for me just fine on my own.” She ran a hand through her hair, tugging on some tangled strands. “I don’t need you to be so… So…” She couldn’t find the right words. “I can handle this myself. You can go… Don’t screw this up because of me. Th-They want to see everyone, so go.”

“Last I checked, you’re still a part of everyone.” Koizumi-san replied. “And you’re not going back, so we’re staying too. Listen, we just… We care about you, and what happened isn't something we’re ever going to be able to forget. But it’s not your fault. You’re too good for that.”

“B-But… It is my fault.” She moaned. “I mean, we wouldn’t even have had to deal with that… If I hadn’t forced you all down there. Plus, if I wasn’t so terrible at it, you probably wouldn’t have had to see me… Screwing up.”

“Hey. Don’t say shit like that! First, you didn’t fucking force us to go, we decided to come with you. And also, that was a goddamn rigged piece of shit, there was no making it outta there unscathed. All in all, you’re more than good enough just by getting out of there… ” He rolled his eyes.

“Oh yeah? Well, I don’t think so… I-I mean, if it were Nidai-kun… Or Owari-san… Or anyone else.” Chiaki moved her hand to fiddle with her hair clip, finding comfort in it. “What if it was you in there? What would you have done…?”

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Pekoyama-san’s expression stiffen. He stayed quiet for a moment. “Anything I say is biased. I have retrospect, you didn’t. But something tells me I’d not get as lucky… Though, you probably wouldn’t just get stuck on your ass like a piece of shit. And you’d probably get as hurt trying to help me, so y’know… Not saying I prefer what actually happened… But…” He cursed under his breath. “I hate this goddamn hypothetical shit.”

“Sorry… I-I should probably get back.” She sighed. “I’ll be fine.”

“Nuh-uh, not happening.” Kuzuryu-kun sighed. “Back there you were so pale, you looked like a fuckin’ ghost. Nobody’s blaming you for not being alright with them right now. There’s nothing wrong with not wanting to be surrounded by Judases.”

“I-I know… I just don’t… I don’t get it… Why…?” She stammered, her train of thought collapsing off its rails. “I was… I tried my best… Sh-She was just a stranger… Why’d she… I never did anything to her…!”

“Nanami, we’ve been over this. Searching for reason in her actions will only leave you empty handed.” The silver-haired girl frowned. “Perhaps we should move to a lighter subject. Would you like that?”

She replied with a fervent nod.

“Hmm, well… It’s Christmas, how about we talk about that. Is that okay?” Koizumi-san offered.

“Y-Yeah… That sounds nice…” Chiaki forced down the fear, making way for hollow excitement. Making her mind to think of the new games she’d most likely be getting, as well as everyone’s reaction to her gifts.

“Alright, so… Uh, well, Merry Christmas…” He scratched at his short hair. “So what’d you get the others? I won’t tell ‘em.”

“Well… I got Mioda-san the rest of the Guitar Hero series… She seemed to like the first one.” She gave a weak smile. “And I got Saionji-san Rhythm Heaven… It seems like she’d like it.”

“I trust you know what you’re doing. I bet I’ll love your gift!” The Photographer smiled.

Chiaki thought about the new copy of Pokemon Snap. “Yeah. Me too.”

A few seconds of silence passed, a lack of ways to continue growing obvious. “Hm… This seems like a dead end. Nanami, what do you think we should discuss?”

“Huh? Oh…” She hummed. “I… I dunno… What happened to my Game Girl?”

“I think you left it in there… I could go get it if you want.” Koizumi-san offered.

“No, it’s fine… I was just worried about it. I thought I might have dropped it.” She mumbled.

Another lapse of any talking took place. After a minute, Kuzuryu-kun buried his eyes in his palm. “Alright, fuck, what are you gonna do when we get out of this shithole? Like, what’re your plans?”

“Plans…? I’m not sure…” Chiaki sighed, her anxieties clawing their way back to the surface.

“Well, um, I’m probably going to do some photography. Y’know… Obviously I’ll keep up with all of you.” She took the opportunity to snap a picture of Pekoyama-san.

“Yeah, for sure. Even when I’m at the head of the Kuzuryu, if you need something, I’ll be there.” He gave a rare smile. “You’re practically family… Actually, what defines family?”

“Birth, marriage, or adoption. Though some consider a blood connection enough.” The Swordswoman replied, her eyes widening.

“Well, Nanami, I’m pretty sure you’re legitimately family.” He chuckled.

“Huh? Are you adopting me? I’m sorry, but I have parents. I don’t think I’d make a good Yakuza, either.” She frowned.

“No, not that, the blood thing…” He scanned her face, noticing no recognition. “C’mon, you know this, right?”

“Hmm… Nope. I don’t think I do.” She tapped her chin.

“Shit, alright… Okay, stop me if I say too much.” The Yakuza took a deep breath. “When you… After you were saved, you’d lost a lot of blood. And, well, you needed some.” He paused, seeing if she’d respond. After a few seconds, he continued. “Okay, so… You had to get a transfusion…”

“Oh, I get it… But…” She paused for a moment. “You’re an AB, aren’t you? Wouldn’t that… Be bad?”

“Yeah, but… Wait, why do you know my fucking blood type!?” He clenched his teeth.

“It’s important Class Rep information!” Chiaki defended. “They didn’t use any of the reserved blood, I guess… Or you wouldn’t have brought it up. That leaves Pekoyama-san, Mitarai-kun, Komaeda-kun, and Impost- Er, maybe not… I dunno about that one. Mitarai-kun would have been pretty tired… So, uh… Was it… Him?”

“As adamant as the fucker was, we weren’t letting him or his blood anywhere near you.” The Yakuza grinned.

She looked over to the Swordswoman. “Th-Thanks. I’m not sure… How this is all related though…”

“Don’t get pissed, alright?” He tugged on his tie. “Peko’s sorta part of the Kuzuryu Clan… It’s a long story… I get it if you wanna know why. Ask away, I guess.”

“Oh… So you’re not secretly dating?” Chiaki asked the first thing on her mind.

He turned red, though she couldn’t tell whether from anger or embarrassment. “Shut the fuck up! You’ve been talking to Mioda too much!”

“So does this mean I’m also a Yakuza? I dunno about that… I might slack off, and I need all my fingers to play…” She clutched her hand, scaring herself with the thought.

“I believe I still have all of mine. And the Young Master is quite merciful.” Pekoyama-san softened her expression.

“Yeah, I fuckin’ am. And not if you don’t wanna. But if you settle in my territory, don’t be surprised if you get some special treatment.” He finished fiddling with his tie.

“Oh… Okay. You don’t need to do that.” She shook her head.

“Yeah, I do. I’m pretty sure I’m not gonna be the only one. If you were to ever go to Novoselic, you’d probably be worshipped or some shit.” He laughed at himself. “Seriously, if you ever need help, you’ve got a literal private army backing you.”

“Alright…” She muttered. “Though private armies are usually pretty easy to take out… It just takes a stealth mission… Or a minigun.”

“Y-Yeah, I don’t really get that… But you’re probably pretty safe.” Koizumi-san shrugged. “So, where were we?”

“I believe we were discussing what to do after graduation. Obviously, I shall be following the Young Master.” Pekoyama-san nodded. “What about you, Nanami?”

“I… I don’t really know.” She mumbled in reply.

“Well, what do you want to do?” The Photographer cocked her head.

“I dunno… Play games… I haven’t really thought about it…” She shook her head.

“Ah, c’mon. What’s like… Your dream? Like, for a job… Or something.” Kuzuryu-kun drummed his fingers along his thigh.

“I don’t know.” Chiaki balled her hand into a fist, sounding more annoyed than she intended. “I haven’t thought about it, recently…”

“Shit, sorry. My fault. I wasn’t thinking…” He quickly apologized.

“No, no… My bad.” She challenged. “I shouldn’t… Get worked up. Over that…”

“We’re here… If you need to talk.” The redhead offered.

“I… I do… But I…” Chiaki sighed. “You have your own problems… You don’t need me complaining…”

“Hey. We wouldn’t be asking if we didn’t want to hear.” She replied. “Plus, you’ve got practically every right to complain.”

“Mm… Alright, but… I-I don’t…” She groaned. “Okay… I don’t really know where to start. Uh…”

“You should start where you’re most worried. Though if you’re uncomfortable with that, you could start with what prompted that.” Pekoyama-san stood idly.

“Okay… Okay, I…” She pondered for a moment, before deciding on the latter. “Well… Y’know… I used to think about… Graduating a lot. I had a whole thing planned… But now… I can barely think past tomorrow… I don’t even remember any of the things I planned for it… And it’s in a few months.”

“Nanami, in your state, it’s understandable. Taking things one step at a time is a healthy way to progress.” She considered her next words for a moment. “Nobody expects more from you than you can give.”

“In my state…? Sure…” Chiaki took her breaths slowly. “I… It’s not that I’m taking things… Slowly. I just… I don’t like it. I don’t like thinking that far ahead…” She caught her own words. “B-Because what if I… What if I don’t make it that long?”

“Jesus, alright… Y-You’re going to make it ‘that long’, and then a fuckton longer, okay?” The Yakuza did his best to comfort her. “Nobody else wants to hurt you, so you’re safe. That piece of shit is dead, and so’s her sister.”

“W-Well what about Komaeda-kun? Or all her fans, they were pretty mad at me?” The Gamer recoiled into a ball. “They still… Want to…”

“Last I heard, he was locked up in a loony bin. And those fuckers’ve probably moved onto the next psycho star. Nobody’s gonna try to do anything to you.” He argued.

“I know… I know. It's just really, really hard to think like that.” She mumbled. “I don’t want this… I want it to stop… But it just keeps happening…”

“Hey… Chiaki-chan. It’s over now, okay? Nothing’s happening anymore. I get it if it’s a little hard, but things can start to go back to normal.” Koizumi-san chimed in.

“But things aren’t going back to normal… Everyday I can’t not be reminded of it. I mean… Nidai-kun said it himself, I can hardly walk… And every night it’s even worse…” She sighed.

“How so?” Pekoyama-san asked, quickly covering her mouth. “You don’t need to answer that.”

“It’s been… So long.” She continued, ignoring her. “Why can’t I even sleep? They just keep getting worse. Every time I… I die… I wake up and have to make sure… That it was just a nightmare, and not… Not real.” Chiaki clutched tightly at her socks. “A-And the ones where I just die and wake up… Are the good ones.”

“Nanami, stop-” He attempted.

She kept going. “I j-just… It just doesn’t end. Sometimes there’s no exit and I… I’m stuck there. Forever. The worst ones are when I don’t wake up after I die… Usually you guys are really sad, and that sucks to see… But once in a while you… You’re all happy…? A-And that’s… That’s…”

“Hey! Chiaki-chan! Cut it out…” The Photographer scolded.

Her breath hitched, snapping her out of her stupor. “S-Sorry… I didn’t mean to…”

“No, that’s not the problem. You just need to talk to us. We can help…” She insisted.

“Okay… I just… I don’t know how to…” Chiaki brushed a tear out of her eye. “I don’t want to be… Scared anymore… But I am scared… And I just want it to stop.”

“It’s alright to be scared. And it’s alright to not want to be. I believe in you, so you can do it.” She consoled.

“I know that… But every time I start to feel like I’m getting better… I just don’t.” The Gamer ducked her head away. “I shouldn’t be afraid of Yukizome-sensei… Or Tsumiki-san, but I am. I know they’re not going to hurt me… But… But what if they do…? I don’t want them to hurt me… I don’t want to be hurt.”

“They won’t. It makes sense you’re afraid, but-”

“Hey, If they were going to hurt you, they would have by now. If you want my advice, no more looking back. And why would you want to look back? I mean it's no good looking back so try to look forward now.” Kuzuryu-kun grinned.

“I’ve just… I feel like I’m being awful… Th-They’re finally back… A-And I’m just being awful.” She groaned.

“They lost their minds and you almost lost your life before. So you’re all gonna be fine.” He offered. “If you feel like you’ve lost it… Y’know, that’s probably just being a normal human.”

Chiaki forced a smile, contrasted by the stained streaks of tears. “Yeah… Yeah. Th-Thank you…” 

“Nanami. You’ve gone through an outrageous amount these past months. We are here to support you. For the rest of the time we know you.” The Swordswoman copied her smile, though in an uncomfortable looking manner.

“I know that… I love you guys. L-Like… I really love you guys…” She softened her breathing. “That goes… For everyone else too.”

“We… Y’know what, yeah, fuck it, we love you too. In… In a not weird way.” He reached out, taking her hand.

She clutched his, holding it tight. “Hey, I want in on this!” Koizumi-san quickly pulled her into a hug.

The three glanced over to Pekoyama-san. After a few seconds, she joined them. “I don’t know… If there is a normal anymore… But this feels right.” Chiaki sighed in repose. “Thank you… It’s good.”

“Yeah, well, get used to it. Because from now on, it’s only feeling right.” She held her tight. “No more loss. From now on we’re winning.”

“Yeah… It already feels like we’re in the post game. We’re done with RNG.” She stifled a laugh, knowing they wouldn’t get it. They slowly unfurled from their tangle of limbs. “I think you guys should go back now…”

“No way, we’re sticking with you.” He shook his head. 

“W-Well… Everyone else is probably worried about me. So you should go tell them I’m okay.” She stretched herself to her feet, palming her cane. “I’m gonna go talk to Gekkogahara-san.”

“If you wish to give them solace, I could go. The Young Master could stay with you.” The Swordswoman offered.

“No, no I’m okay. She’s a therapist right…? So if she was there… When I talk with Tsumiki-san and Yukizome-sensei… Things should be okay.” She pursed her lips. “Also it’s probably a private thing.”

“Okay. Got it. But if you ever get too stressed, come get us, promise?” The Photographer smiled.

“I promise.” Chiaki nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ended up having to be split into two. That's why the end is a little abrupt. Next up, we'll catch up with Leon, and get more of Chisa, Mikan, and Hajime.


	23. Talk About It

**Leon Kuwata**

Leon collapsed himself over a desk. If he’d really slept for two months, how could he feel so exhausted. His class was supposed to meet with him, though only four had shown up. Each was silent, as if they expected him to say something.

An eternity grinded away, his mind spiralling. Claws of his sins digging into his head. He clutched his head, letting out a distorted screech.

“Woah, you okay!?” The Biker Gang Leader leaned forward towards him. 

Not being able to give a verbal response, Leon did his best to collect himself. After a few seconds of staring he decided he should at least do something. He clenched his fist, flicking up his middle finger.

“Fuck, alright. I got it. Don’t ask.” He rolled his eyes.

“So… Um… Kuwata? Do you wanna talk about it…?” Hina spoke from the corner of the room. “Well, not talk, but… You know.”

Kirigiri shook her head, reaching into her pocket. She pulled out a notepad and pen, placing it on the desk. “It’s not the best, but it’ll do. We could set you up with vocal therapy, or an alternative.”

Leon scowled. He could still make simple sounds with some pain, but more complex words were near impossible. Taking the pen, he scribbled out a simple ‘fuck off’, before tossing them both aside.

Naegi stood awkwardly off to the side, quietly wringing his fingers. “Hey Kuwata-kun…? I know you’re really upset. But please talk to us!”

Rage filled him. Out of everyone who actually came, he had the audacity. He clenched his fists, digging his nails in. They must have noticed, as they began to ask questions he ignored. A few more seconds passed before it finally boiled over.

Leon leapt off the desk, charging the Lucky Student. While crossing the distance, his mind grew clearer. What was he doing? He slowed himself only a short distance from the boy. By some cosmic improvidence, he stopped on the notepad. It threw itself from under him, sending him forward, his fist meeting Naegi’s face.

Both of them fell to the ground, Leon pinning him. A few moments passed, staring in each other's eyes. The anger quickly returned, him raising his fist above his face. He let out a cry, bringing it down. The ground next to his head cracked as he punched it.

He continued punching the floor until he was pulled off. His knuckles were bloodied and Naegi had a bloody nose. “What the fuck, man!? The shit was that!?”

Leon stumbled back, fighting out of Owada’s grip. He took a few breaths as the Luckster pulled himself up. A couple silent seconds passed. “Y-Yeah… I guess I deserved that.”

“Hey! What? No you didn’t! That was, like, totally uncalled for!” Asahina objected.

“No, no… I get it.” Naegi pinched his nose. “I was… Really unfair to you. You really could’ve died.”

He paused for a moment, before shaking his head.

“Huh? What… Does that mean?” He asked. Not sparing a beat, Kirigiri grabbed the notepad off the ground and handed it to him, along with a new pen.

He flipped over the first page, now with a dusty footprint. On the new page, he wrote out ‘Maizono’.

“Oh… Right.” He frowned. “Y-You… I don’t know how to… Apologize.”

Leon groaned, shaking his head again. They didn’t know what they were doing. He clutched the paper and stormed out before they could say anything.

One of the members of the program’s team who he didn’t recognise tried to stop him but he brushed her off, making his way down the staircase. Quickly making his way to a secluded room.

The piano in the music room hadn’t moved since he’d last been there. He sighed, making his way onto the stage. Letting his feet dangle off the edge, he flipped through the blank pages of his book. The air was stuffy, though better than the box he’d been stuck in.

The door creaked open, letting in a glow of light. Even though he was sure they wouldn’t follow him, he pursed his lips. But it quickly became apparent it wasn’t anyone from his class.

“Hey! Leon-chan! Ibuki was just thinking about you!” She grinned, running down the aisle.

Leon couldn’t help but return a weak smile. He waved gently. She pounced up the stage, tackling him with a hug. After a few seconds, he pulled away with a sigh. There was a lot he wanted to say, needed to say. Though he stayed silent.

“Ibuki missed you! And now you’re back!” She pumped her fist.

After a few seconds, he figured something needed to be done. Grabbing the notepad, he flipped to the front. She peeked over his shoulder to see what he was writing. The first page was still smudged by his foot, so he moved to the next.

Leon sloppily cursed under his breath, quickly tossing it aside. He’d forgotten what was there, not meaning to bring her up so soon. She stopped moving around, taking a few breaths.

“Oh… Okay. If Leon-chan wants to…” She mumbled. “Ibuki doesn’t mind.”

He shook his head, though it was hard to know if she understood what he meant.

“Well… Well Ibuki doesn’t blame him. And now she has her bandmate back. So it’s all good.” She tilted her head. “If Leon-chan feels bad, he doesn’t need to.”

She clearly didn’t. He reached down for the book, flipping to a blank page near the middle. ‘Not my fault. Her fault.’ He wrote it out, tightening his grip at the thought.

“Her…? Which her?” She asked.

‘Enoshima. Ikusaba.’ He scrawled, digging the pen into the paper.

“Oh! Okay, good! Yeah! Blame those cruds!” Mioda gave a relieved laugh.

His mind was tugging at him. Not even a day ago, he was having a good time on an island with his two friends. Now, they were both dead. A painful metallic taste struck his mouth at the thought of Enoshima once being his friend. Though it was outweighed tenfold. ‘She didn’t deserve that.’ He wrote out, quickly adding ‘Maizono’ to make sure there was no confusion.

“Ibuki thinks the same. But Sayaka-chan would probably want us to be happy! So lets be happy.” She optimistically smiled.

‘I miss her.’ He grit his teeth, quickly crossing it out in the vain hope she wouldn’t notice.

“Ibuki missed you. Ibuki misses her. But that’s no reason to get all mopey about it.” She frowned.

The grinding of his teeth cut him back to his senses. Leon tugged on his goatee, climbing off the stage. She tried to call out for him. He ignored, picking up his pace to a jog, storming out of the room.

**Chiaki Nanami**

The conversation with Gekkogahara-san was rather stunted. As if she had expected Chiaki. It would take a few minutes to get the other two, but she assured her it would be a safe environment.

She had suggested a modified couple’s therapy. Her, Yukizome-sensei and Tsumiki-san would have time to talk about how each of them feel. Chiaki felt a pit in her stomach when she heard that. Her mind was telling her this was a bad idea, coursing with regret. Until they came in.

Chiaki dug her short nails into the armrest of her chair, taking a few moments to calm her breath. She had moved her chair so she was opposite the two. It felt better than sitting next to them. The Therapist had recommended the Rec Room, which was always one of Chiaki’s favourites.

Though, she had also told the Gamer she couldn’t have a game with her. That fact wasn’t helping calm her nerves. An uncomfortable silence lingered as they settled in. She kept her eyes trained on them, moving back and forth between the two.

Gekkogahara-san spun so she could face them all. Usami lit up with a contrasting smile. “Alright, is everyone ready?” She waited for a moment, receiving a few nods. “Okay! Well then, who would like to begin?”

“U-U-Um… S-Sorry, but… What are w-we actually s-supposed to do?” Tsumiki-san asked, wincing her eyes shut.

“Well… If that’s the case, Nanami-san why don’t you start us off?” She offered.

“Okay, okay. I… I mean, I’m… I’m scared. Of you…” Chiaki held her breath. “I shouldn’t be… It’s unfair of me. But… I can’t…”

“No! No. It’s not unfair.” Yukizome-sensei denied. “It’s fine. You’re fair. You were… Hurt because of us. So it’s not your fault.”

“But… But you weren’t you, right? So it isn’t fair. I’m just being… Too harsh. You don’t deserve that.” She defended.

“I-It’s not… N-not your…” Tears welled in the Nurse’s eyes. “I-I-I’m sorry! Please f-forgive m-me!”

“Ahem, ahem! We should keep things structured so it’s the best for all of you!” Usami interrupted before Chiaki could respond. “Please only answer questions asked to you, okay?”

“Ah! S-Sorry!” Tsumiki-san clutched her head.

“It’s alright. Just don’t let it happen again.” She shook her head. “Yukizome-san, how does what Nanami-san said make you feel?”

“Huh? Didn’t I just say that?” She leaned her head.

“That was in response to her! It’s not the same thing! Pretend that Nanami-san isn’t here. What would you feel?”

“O-Okay? Well, I don’t like it. She shouldn’t feel bad. After everything, I don’t wanna make it worse.” She sighed. “But… I also don’t like her being scared of me. I’ve only ever wanted the best for her. And I betrayed that trust. So I want to make it up to her.”

“I see.” She tapped something out on her keyboard. “And Tsumiki-san?”

“U-Um… I f-feel really bad. She was hurt a-and I wasn’t th-there to help her!” Her tone wavered.

“Good, good.” She typed in the same pattern. “Nanami-san. What about you? How do you feel about what you said?”

“What…? I… I don’t know? It was true… I think.” She mumbled, not sure how to answer.

“Okay. Moving on.” She nodded, earning unnoticed looks of confusion from the three. “You mentioned you were afraid of them. Could you elaborate on why?”

“They… I-I mean, they… They tried to kill me. Well, they didn’t… But… It was… Really bad. I almost… Died. And that’s…” Chiaki trailed off.

“Thank you. Yukizome-san, how do you feel about that?” She asked, emotionless behind the screen.

“Eh? The same question?” The Housekeeper hung her mouth open for a moment. “Okay then… We did almost kill her. And I feel like I can’t ever fix that. But I want to. I know she’s going through a really rough time right now, and she doesn’t need me making it worse.”

“Okay. Tsumiki-san? What about you?” She didn’t spare a beat.

“I d-don’t want her to d-die! Sh-She’s nice t-to me! So I want t-to be nice to h-her!” She blurted.

“Mhm. Nanami-san, what about you?” She asked, once again receiving a confused look.

“I… I said what I wanted to…” She sighed, playing Contra in her mind to try and calm down.

“That’s fine. You seem adverse to the concept of your death. Why?” She asked with no respite.

“What…? How… I mean, I…” She took a breath, placing down her imaginary controller. “I just… Want to play games. I don’t want to die. No respawns… No one-ups… No extra quarters-”

“Nanami-san. I suggest you use phrases they can understand. No metaphors.” She interrupted. “You’re hard to follow when you speak like that.”

“Huh? Oh… Sorry, I… I didn’t. I didn’t mean to…” Chiaki pushed back the flooding memories of before Hope’s Peak, steadying her quivering lip. “I don’t… I don’t like… Not… Being alive.” She held her tongue for a moment. “If… If I… Died back there… I’d never have gotten to… Be here right now. And… Why does anything… I’ve ever done matter… If I’m not here?”

She smiled through it all. “Good. Get it all out. Yukizome-san, what-”

“Y’know what? No! What is this!? What are you trying to do here?” The Teacher objected.

“This is a therapy session to help Nanami-san mend her relationship with you.” She defended.

“You kidding me? She looks like she’s on the verge of tears. How is that helping her!?” She shouted. “She should have a game in her hands, first of all! And nobody’s buying that crap, I know exactly what she meant when she was saying that!”

“I am a professional. The former Ultimate Therapist. I know what I’m doing.” The rabbit shook her head.

“Nuh-uh! I ain’t buying it! You can’t help someone by hurting them.” She stood up, approaching Gekkogahara-san. “You’re being awful!”

“I’m not hurting her! She’s simply describing a fear.” She backed her chair against the wall.

“Yeah, and making her relive memories like that totally isn’t hurting her either.” Yukizome-sensei rolled her eyes.

Chiaki barely processed their words, struggling to keep her thoughts at bay. “I-I’m okay…” She sputtered out.

“No! No you’re not! Obviously, you’re not!” She refuted. “And me… Yelling at you probably isn’t making it better, but- You’re not okay!”

“Okay…” She shrunk her head into her shoulders.

“Hey, that’s not- Nevermind, one problem at a time.” She turned back to the Therapist. “You! What good do you think will come of this!?”

“You and Nanami-san will improve your relationship, as well as Tsumiki-san. I recommend a weekly schedule, for a start. We can see how things progress from there.” She stated nonchalantly.

“What? You think we’re coming back here? You’re terrible! There are so many problems with this, I don’t know where to start!” The Housekeeper wrung her fingers together. “Alright, where is Nanami-san’s game?”

“It would lead to distraction. She needed her full attention on this. She left them upstairs.” She answered, continuing to rattle away at her keyboard.

“Goes to show how much you know about what’s good for her! She’s in a stressful situation, those give her relief! And don’t try me with that distraction crap. I’m her teacher, if there was any reason to be worried she wouldn’t pay attention, I’d know!” She spun around to face Chiaki. “Come on, Nanami-san. Let’s get you outta here.”

“You can’t! We still have fifty minutes left.” Usami objected.

“Oh, we do, do we?” She once again wheeled around. In a flash, she clutched her fist, flinging it at the screen. Usami shattered, flickering for a few seconds before shutting off. “Ah, my apologies. Well that’s our time, see you next week.”

A couple seconds passed, Gekkogahara-san pressing frantically at her keyboard. A few tears grew in her eyes and she drove herself out. The Gamer felt her heart grow panicked, now alone in a room with both of them.

“Y-Yukizome-sensei, you’re b-bleeding!” The Nurse called out, rushing to her side. She examined her knuckles, pulling out some disinfectant and bandages. Chiaki considered taking this chance to sneak out, but found herself unable to move. Even then, she probably wouldn’t have gotten too far. After a minute, she finished up.

“Nanami-san? I missed you…” Yukizome-sensei drew her attention. “This probably sounds selfish, but… Please, can you say it back?”

“Huh? Yeah, I… I missed you too.” She nodded with a stiff expression.

“Thank you. We should… Let you be. Right Tsumiki-san?” She turned to The Nurse.

“Yeah, b-but…” She paused, taking a deep breath. “Nanami-san I-I’m really scared for you because y-you were really hurt and i-it’s partially m-my fault. And you s-still needing that cane a-after this long is really c-concerning! S-So if you don’t mind, could I-I take a look at your i-injuries?”

“I… Maybe later. Okay?” She caught herself on her own breath.

“But, it’s b-been quite a while! If you let your w-wounds go improperly tr-treated for too long, they c-could get infected! Actually, I h-have a feeling that one on your foot a-already is. So p-please let me look at it.” She stuttered out.

“Not right now. I don’t… Think I’m okay with that yet.” She shuddered at the thought.

“B-But-”

“Tsumiki-san? I don’t think it’s a good idea for now.” Yukizome-sensei shook her head. “We should get going before she gets uncomfortable.”

The Nurse opened her mouth to object, but silently resigned, following her out of the room. As soon as the door shut, Chiaki clutched at two ends of her hair, grinding her teeth against each other. She could barely hold back the tears.

**Ryota Mitarai**

Ryota sat quietly, twiddling his thumbs. After Nanami-san left, a quiet fell over the room. Any chance at continuing faded after Yukizome-sensei and Tsumiki-san were called out. Some splintered off and wandered out, some had stayed and exchanged nervous looks. Eventually, the second group also began to leave.

The Imposter and Saionji-san remained, barely paying any mind to him. There was no reason for them to be waiting, but it felt as though they expected something. Though Ryota had no such feeling, he was simply exhausted. A guilt held him in a crushing grip. If he had acted earlier, Nanami-san would be fine. If he hadn’t foolishly shoved all responsibility onto her, then Yukizome-sensei would be fine. If he hadn’t fallen for Enoshima’s trick, Tsumiki-san would be fine. This was his fault.

The door cracked open, flooding the room with light. Saionji-san’s eyes lit up for a moment, before darkening. “What the hell are you doing here, traitor bitch!”

“Ah! I’m s-s-sorry” She slammed the door shut.

The Imposter exchanged a glance with Ryota, before springing up. They grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. Together, they flew out, catching Tsumiki-san stumbling away. “Would you like to see us?”

“No, i-it’s okay! I’m sorry!” She blinked a few tears out of her eyes.

“Well, uh… If you need to talk, please, say something. You did sorta disappear. For a while.” He offered, scratching his head. “It’s been a long time, and I’ve missed you…”

“You have?” She asked with hopeful doubt in her voice. “Well, I-I do have something. But you p-probably wouldn’t care.”

“What gives you that impression?” The Imposter asked. “We would care, if it’s troubling you.”

“Hng… W-Well, it’s Nanami-san. I-I’m… Scared f-for her.” She worriedly spouted.

“Well, yeah, that makes sense. You did hurt her, in a way. It makes sense she’s a little… Afraid.” Ryota said, unsure on how she really felt.

“I know th-that. But, I-I mean, look at her. Sh-She’s not been properly treated at a-all!” She cried, eliciting a surprised look from the two. “For s-starters, those cuts on h-her face and hands r-really should have been stapled, not s-sutured. And she wouldn’t l-let me look at her other wounds s-so I don’t know how bad some of the w-worse ones are.”

“Huh?” He raised an eyebrow. “She hasn’t had any stitches for a while, how do you know?”

“Because they’re so s-sloppily done! They’ve barely healed! I-If done properly, the scars might have receded a-and been less visible. But now they’re p-probably going to be there f-forever.” She sighed. “And the f-fact that she’s still needing a c-cane after this long is t-troubling! I have a r-really bad feeling about that foot!” Tsumiki-san punctuated herself by glancing down at her own prosthetic.

“That bad!?” Ryota felt his mouth drop. “Well you gotta do something, then! That can’t be our only option.”

“I d-don’t think it is, but… She w-won’t let me anywhere near h-her. If it gets i-infected or worse, I don’t know what e-else I could do!” She fretted. “M-Maybe you could convince her to wear a blindfold a-and then I could g-get her with some anesthetic and-”

“Tsumiki-san.” The Imposter interrupted. “This is spawned from guilt, correct?”

“What?” She rubbed a couple more tears out.

“I know what you are feeling. When she went through that, I felt intense guilt. I tried to do my best to make her feel better. Be it diagnosing her with conditions I am unqualified to, or trying to break out of my own shell for her. But I realized it would only lead to worse when I was captured by Enoshima. Because of me, Nanami-san was hurt more. Trying too hard would only cause her worse.” They leaned against a wall, speaking warmly. “It’s not your job to fix her. Nor is it mine. Of course, it’s important for you to see her. But give it some time. Alright?”

“You… I… I don’t.” She stuttered. “I n-never wanted this! P-Please! C-Can we just go b-back to normal?”

“I think that’s unreasonable. Not to mention unfair to Nanami-san, what she’s gone through. But we can move on, and support her along the way. Don’t you agree?” The Imposter smiled.

“I-I… Okay. That s-sounds alright. But I do want to s-see her soon. S-So please put in a g-good word for me.” She slowly nodded.

“Will do! For sure!” Ryota added, wanting to add something.

“I-I… Thank you.” Tsumiki-san forced out. “Ah… I-I’m sorry!” She sniffled a few times before dashing off.

“Wait!” He shouted as she ran, not stopping her. “What was that?”

“She is clearly troubled. I don’t think it’s your fault. Let her be, for now.” The Imposter advised. “We might want to get going, too. It’s getting late, we should eat.”

“It is? But it’s only ten.” He glanced at a nearby clock, confirming himself.

“I spoke clearly.” They began to walk away at a brisk pace, Ryota following behind.

**Chiaki Nanami**

After the session, she lingered for a while, unsure what to do. She considered going after them, but stopped herself before acting on it. If she went back to everyone else, they might be upset with her. Gekkogahara-san was probably mad too. So she found herself trudging her way through the snow, stumbling her way over to a bench.

The fountain wasn’t frozen in some pretty way, it was just a pool of ice. Chiaki brushed some snow off and sat down, shivering slightly. She pulled out her classic Game Girl, using it to heat up her hands.

“Nanami?” A familiar voice called out. She jerked her head over, locking eyes with him. “I should’ve known I’d find you here.”

“You were looking for me?” She asked, ignoring the cold.

“Well, no. I was just looking… Around. Figured I should come here.” He clambered over to the bench, brushing off a place for himself. “So, uh… Is now a good time? To talk about it?”

She didn’t bother asking what he meant. “I think so. If you want to. It’s up to you.”

“Shouldn’t it be up to you? It is… About you, right? I don’t want to force you to talk.” Hinata-kun sighed, looking away.

“Well, I’m alright with it. I can talk.” She smiled at him. “Where should we start?”

“Yeah… Where should we?” He replied with a bite of sarcasm. “I… I’m so goddamn sorry. I-If I hadn’t… Screwed everything up, then this wouldn’t have happened. I shouldn’t have left.”

“Mhm. I’m mad at you for that.” She hesitated. “Maybe not leaving… But you didn’t even say bye. That’s what I’m mad about.”

“That’s… Yeah, it’s my bad.” He exhaled.

“But, it’s also my fault too, right? If I’d been a better friend, you wouldn’t have left, right?” She asked, hoping for some validation.

“Huh? Why would it be…? You were a great friend. You are a great friend. I just… Took it for granted.” Hinata-kun dropped his head to his hands. “And you got… Hurt because of me. It’s my fault, not yours.”

“I don’t think so. If it was your fault, then I’d blame you for it, probably. And I don’t.” She regretted not planning what to say. “So, it’s not your fault.”

“But I blame myself. So it is.” He debated.

“Didn’t you say it was about me, though? So I say it’s not.” She fiddled with the Game Girl in her hand. “And even if it is, it’s not your problem.”

“But, it is my problem. I mean, look at you.” He gestured in her direction. “You’re… Obviously hurt. Every time I see you, I feel guilty.”

She tugged on her sleeve with her own guilty blush, hiding an old scar. “Sorry…”

“Crap, I didn’t mean it like that. You’re fine.” He scratched at his head. “Let’s move on, okay? I’ve been meaning to ask you, why… Why aren’t you scared of me? You were petrified with the other two, so why not me?”

“Oh… I guess it’s because of Kamukura-kun.” She decided. “He was nice to me.”

“Eh? It… He… Was?” He stammered. “How?”

“He helped me. He saved me.” She huffed.

“But… It… That. He was just an emotionless… Prick.” He reasoned. “He was just a pile of talents. How can you like that? He helped Enoshima, for god’s sake. He let that happen to you.”

“Well, he felt really bad about it. And he wasn’t emotionless.” She defended. “He was a bit like you, but a bit not like you. He got frustrated fast and liked playing games with me. But also was a downer sometimes, and able to beat me.”

“Tell me this… When you talked to him, who did you see? Me, or someone else?” He aggrieved.

Chiaki hummed for a moment. “Well… I saw you, because it was your face. But it felt like talking to someone else.” She looked into his eyes. “Do you like the rain, Hinata-kun?”

“What?” He raised an eyebrow. “Not really, I guess.”

“Then I think you’re both different. In a good way.” She smiled. “He was always calm, and would always do what I wanted. You’re different. I don’t know what you’ll do if I did this.”

He opened his mouth to ask before she leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder. “Ah! Wh-What are you-!?” His body tensed up.

“Yeah… I missed you. Probably.” She continued to smile. “You should find your Game Girl tomorrow. Let’s play together. That’s what I’ve wanted for a long time.”

“O-Okay. I’ll do that.” He assured her. “I’d like that too. But, I should get going… I’ve got a lot to catch up on.”

“That makes sense.” She had no intention to move until he did. “Wait! That reminds me. I’ve got a year’s worth of games to show you! You’ve gotta come to my room some time so we can play. It’s too cold out to keep coming here.”

“I don’t know if that’s a great idea. Maybe you should come to mine instead… Wait I don’t… Crap.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “But, you’re right. I’m excited.”

“Me too.” She added, thinking of all the new releases, ready to point out their innovations.

He abruptly got to his feet, leaving her to catch herself. She’d been putting more of her weight on him than she thought. “See you around. Tomorrow. I promise. For real this time.”

“See you, Hinata-kun.” Chiaki watched him walk away, until he left her vision. She took a moment to steady the uneasy feeling in her gut before getting up.


End file.
